Counting Stars
by cestlavie0919
Summary: The Hunters Guild has taken control of North America. Werewolves and werewolf sympathizers are imprisoned in harsh conditions. Stiles Stilinski is trying to protect his father and his Mate, who happens to be the last Hale Alpha, from getting taken by the Hunters Guardsmen while fighting a losing battle with his own sanity. And then the unthinkable happens. Rated M for a reason.
1. Grasping at Air

"Stiles? Wake up… we're almost at the Wall," Derek's voice broke the near silence they'd ridden in. Spare time to sleep was so rare that he didn't blame the human for taking the opportunity while it was there. The reaction was automatic. Stiles' eyes were open and a sharp dagger was pressed to the Alpha's throat. "Stiles it's me!" Derek exclaimed.

As his senses returned, Stiles slowly dropped the knife. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I'm just a bit jittery from lack of sleep…"

"It's alright," Derek replied. "Ever since Scott got taken, I think we've all been a little jittery."

Scott… Stiles still felt the ache in his chest at the idea of Scott having been brought to the Obelisk. It made his desire to protect Derek ever more resolute. "What do we do once we get past the Wall?" Stiles asked. They'd been so focused on getting to the Wall that he realized there was a deadly lack of planning for anything after that point.

"Try to live a normal life, I guess," Derek said. "The Guild won't be able to get us once we're there."

"But we're leaving Scott to die. You know what happens in the Obelisk!" Stiles said. "He'd try to save us."

"Remember what we all agreed on. Scott knew what the risks were. He made his decision. He gave us the best chance to escape," Derek replied. "So let's honor that sacrifice by getting past the Wall and never thinking about this place again."

"I'd go back for you," Stiles said defiantly, pressing his index finger against the tip of the dagger. A bead of blood leaked out of it.

"Stiles please!"

"He was my best friend!" Stiles shot back. "He was like my brother and God knows what the Guild is doing to him there… What if he's in the…."

"The Panopticon is a myth!" Derek argued. "There's no way it exists. It can't. It's just a story they spread to keep the rest of us in check."

Stiles wanted to cry. Unfortunately, he couldn't justify wasting water like that. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

"Once we get past the Wall, you don't have to worry about it anymore," Derek replied, pulling Stiles into a tight hug. "We'll keep each other safe. You're my Mate, after all. I won't let anything happen to you."

They could feel the vehicle slow to a halt. "We're here," Stiles said, pulling away from Derek, but not before he laid a kiss on his beloved's cheek. As he stood up, he checked the holsters on either side, ensuring the safety was off on both guns, the clips were full, and he was ready. He slid the dagger back in its sheath. Derek shifted, his lethal claws extending. They were ready for whatever they were about to face.

The doors to the vehicle opened. Stiles looked down to see his father. "I brought you to the point with the weakest security. You shouldn't have too much to worry about."

"I'd have less if you'd come with us," Stiles replied.

"I'm more use to you on this side. The Rebellion will win, Stiles. And when they do, I'll send for you. But I refuse to bury my son," the Commander said. His gaze shifted to Derek. "Keep him safe."

"I will," Derek replied, hopping out of the back of the vehicle. He moved to help Stiles down, but Stiles waved him away, jumping down on his own. His father pulled him into a tight hug.

"Stay safe," Stiles whispered into his father's ear.

"You too, son," he replied. When they finally separated, the Captain hugged Derek. "You too, stay safe!" As they separated, Derek put a protective arm around Stiles as they turned to face the Wall. It went on for as far as either of them could see. "You might need this stuff," the Captain said, pulling two packs of gear out of the cab of the vehicle. "The Hunters Guard just did a pass. You have about 12 hours until another pass is made. Good luck."

"I love you, dad."

"I love you, too."

Stiles pulled some gloves and climbing gear out of the bag. Derek dug his claws into the concrete going up first, creating places for Stiles to grab onto. They were about twenty feet off the ground when Stiles heard a struggle on the ground. There were gunshots. "Stiles keep going!" Derek urged.

Stiles looked down and saw two members of the Hunters Guard wrestling his father to the ground. "I'm going back. They'll kill him!"

"Stiles don't!" Derek called, but Stiles was already rappelling back down. When he was close enough, he grabbed the dagger and cut the rope, allowing himself to fall the final few feet. Instantly members of the Hunters Guard were on him.

"Get your hands off me!" Stiles growled as he drew his gun, shooting one of the Hunters Guardsmen. The shot wasn't lethal and he scolded himself for wasting a bullet. Stiles and his father fought hard as Derek scaled back down the wall. A Guardsman grabbed Stiles by the neck, effectively immobilizing him while another Guardsman drove a powerful punch into his stomach. Blow after blow brought Stiles to his knees as the Guardsmen attempted to pummel the Stilinski men into submission.

"You have been found trying to flee the Territory. You are hereby found guilty of treason against the Guild. You'll be brought to the Obelisk," one of the Guardsmen said as cuffs were placed around the Captain's hands.

"Let him go!" Stiles pleaded. "It was my idea not his!"

The Guardsman stopped trying to force the Captain into the prison vehicle. "Is that so? Are you confessing to conspiracy against the Guild?"

"Cut the pomp and circumstance," Stiles snapped. "If you're going to kill me, just fucking kill me."

Stiles heard a sickening pop and the Guardsman who was holding him dropped to the ground. Derek's deadly growl could be heard as he helped Stiles back to his feet.

"Harboring a werewolf, too?" the remaining Guardsman chuckled. "Boy you just earned yourself a ticket to the Panopticon."

"Let the Captain go or I will turn you," Derek growled.

"You wouldn't," the Guardsman challenged.

"You're threatening my Mate and his father. Just fucking try me," Derek replied. I'd never seen him so deadly before. "I know what happens to Guardsmen who get turned. If we go down, you're going down with us."

"You must be the last Hale Alpha," the Guardsman said, a bemused smile on his face.

"I am. Now let my Mate and his father go, or you'll be the next member of the Hale pack," Derek said.

The Guardsman's lip curled. "Release them," he ordered the one remaining Guardsman, whose leg Stiles shot. The moment he was freed, the Captain rushed to Stiles' side. There was another sickening pop and Derek had broken the injured Guardsman's neck.

"I want you to go back to your superiors and tell them that this Territory is protected," Derek told him. "And if I see you again, I won't just turn you… I will also kill you. Your death will make me more powerful."

"We should have made sure we wiped out the entire Hale pack," the Guardsman said as he climbed into his vehicle and sped off.

"Dad are you alright?" Stiles asked, finally able to check on him.

"You should have just let them take me, Stiles. You could be halfway up the Wall by now," the Captain scolded.

"And you could be halfway to the Obelisk," Stiles countered. "Let's just find somewhere to sleep for the night."

Derek and Stiles climbed back into the vehicle. They couldn't return home. They knew the Guardsmen would be waiting there for them. "What do we do now?" Derek asked after several minutes of silence.

Stiles merely shrugged. It had finally sunken in that his more horrifying fear that Scott had been taken to the Panopticon was real. He was frustrated. He wanted to cry, but again, he couldn't justify the reckless waste of water that would entail. He'd already wasted precious ammunition. He'd almost been taken because he was sentimental and sloppy. Scott warned him that his emotions might get in the way and they had just nearly gotten them captured.

And now that the Guild knew that Derek was alive, there was yet another issue weighing heavily on his mind. The truck jostled them back and forth, but Stiles didn't care because he could feel Derek's protective arms wrapping tightly around him. He rested his hands on top of Derek's, forcing the fact that he had just been moments away from never doing this again to sink into his head that much more powerfully. He cursed the Guild for having pushed them into a position like this to begin with. "You could have gotten out of here," he said finally. "You would have been able to escape and be safe."

"You should know better than to presume that I'd just let you get carried off, Stiles. And if you don't, we have larger problems on our hands," Derek replied softly.

"I know… but maybe if I wasn't focusing on protecting you, I'd be able to sleep at night," Stiles said. "It's illegal for you to even be alive."

Derek sighed, moving one hand out from under Stiles' and extending his claws. "I'm an Alpha werewolf… one of the few left. I can protect myself, Stiles. And it's my job to protect you."

"It's going to get you killed," Stiles argued. "And then what am I supposed to do?"

"You fight on," Derek replied.

Stiles wasn't satisfied with that answer, but he was tired. He adjusted the way he was sitting so that he could more comfortably rest himself against Derek's chest. It took only a few moments for him to be asleep.

* * *

"_Scott! Wait up!" Stiles called. He hated when his best friend forgot the crucial detail of his humanity. Try as he might, Stiles lacked the speed and stamina of an Alpha werewolf, though not for lack of Scott and Derek trying to convince him to take the Bite._

"_I can smell blood," Scott announced, stopping dead in his tracks. Stiles immediately froze. This area was supposed to be empty. There shouldn't have been any blood for Scott to smell. Immediately Stiles pulled his guns._

"_We should go get Derek," Stiles suggested._

_Slowly, Scott turned around. There were tears in his eyes. "Stiles, I'm so sorry."_

"_What are you talking about?" Stiles asked. Clearly there was something present that he was missing. Stiles watched as Scott's more werewolf features faded._

"_I want you to turn around and run. I will hold them off as long as I can," Scott answered. "Get back to Derek… Tell Isaac I'm sorry and get over the Wall."_

"_Scott what's going on?" Stiles asked, tears beginning to well up._

"_Damn it, Stiles!" Scott exclaimed. "What did we agree on? I need you to run. Now. You're my best friend. But your emotions are going to get you killed. Please, Stiles… just run!"_

"_Why can't you run with me?" Stiles asked._

"_Because if I do, we lead them right back to the hold-out. I'm so sorry Stiles. It's better for me to sacrifice myself than to let everyone else get captured. Now please… go! They're going to be here soon," Scott begged._

_Stiles slowly hugged his best friend. "I'm so sorry, Scott. I'll find you. I promise."_

"_Promise me you won't," Scott replied. "Your emotions are going to get you killed. Just move camp… Please, Stiles. Promise me!"_

_Reluctantly, Stiles made the promise. He kissed Scott's cheek and turned running. He was only just out of eye sight when he heard Scott's terrifying roar and the sounds of Hunters Guardsmen dying._

_He had a spark of hope that he'd be joined by his friend, but he'd been through too much in the last few years to truly expect to ever see him again. He kept running. Every muscle in his body ached and his lungs were burning. He could feel the tears streaming down his face. Isaac was the first one to see him as Stiles finally entered the encampment. He collapsed from exhaustion and pain. "Stiles!" he cried, running to the human's side._

_It took only a matter of moments for Isaac to notice what was missing. "Where's Scott?"_

"_He got taken… we have to leave…"_

"_What do you mean he got taken?" Then the realization dawned on him. "You left him…" Isaac replied. "You left him to die, you fucking selfish bastard!" A fist made painful contact with Stiles' face. Stiles didn't fight back. He felt he deserved it. He knew his best friend would be captured, taken to the Obelisk and tortured then killed and he simply ran in the other direction. It was around the 10__th__ or 11__th__ strike that Derek threw Isaac off of him, releasing a loud, terrifying roar._

"_If you ever touch him again, I swear to God it will be the last thing you ever do!" Derek shouted._

"_What the hell is going on?" the Captain demanded, finally joining the crowd._

"_Your son is a fucking coward!" Isaac screamed to him. "He left Scott to the Hunters Guard! Scott will be tortured and killed because of him!"_

"_Someone please explain to me what the hell is going on!" the Captain repeated._

"_Scott and I were on patrol. Guardsmen attacked. He told me to run. We need to move camp," Stiles managed._

"_I'm not going anywhere with him!" Isaac growled. "As far as I'm concerned, he killed Scott."_

"_We're stronger as a group, Isaac," Derek said._

"_Yeah, until the next time one of us has to do rounds with Stiles!"_

_Derek stood up, making a few quick strides until he was inches away from Isaac. "We've all lost Scott. Stiles just lost his best friend."_

"_Fuck you, Derek!" Isaac replied. "I just lost my Mate."_

* * *

When Stiles woke up, he didn't recognize his surroundings. His hand flew instantly to his gun as he worked to keep his hand steady, raising it to eye level, moving so that his back was flush against the wall nearest the doorway. The door burst open and Stiles turned, pressing the gun into the chest of the person trying to enter. "Jesus fucking Christ!" Derek screeched. "Stiles it's me!"

"What the fuck, Derek? Where are we?" Stiles demanded.

"It's a bunker," Derek replied. "The Guardsmen used it a couple of months ago. They won't be back for a year. Until then, we've got some food, water, and while the armory is empty, there's actually a pretty good shooting range… though it doesn't look like you need it."

Stiles returned the gun to its holster. "You're right, I don't need it. I wasted one bullet in that Guardsman. I can't afford to waste any more… I don't even know why you'd suggest it."

Derek studied him. "What's wrong, Stiles?"

"Did you really just ask me that question?" he demanded. "Did that really just come out of your face? How about the fact that I got Scott killed, we have no idea where Isaac is or if he's even alive, we've been on the run from the Hunters Guard for almost two years now, and we're now literally being forced to survive off of their leftovers."

"None of this is your fault," Derek said.

"You keep saying that, but we both know you're only trying to make me feel better," Stiles refused to allow Derek to cheer him up. For once, he wanted to be left alone in his negative thought spiral.

"If anyone is to blame, it's me," Derek finally admitted. "I shifted in public. I knew what the risks would be and I brought the problem back to you. So if you truly need someone to blame, look no further."

"Let's just agree to disagree," Stiles muttered, finally. It had become blatantly clear that neither man was willing to let the other shoulder any guilt.

Derek nodded, showing that he was amenable to that request. His hands rested on Stiles' shoulders, then moved up to his face, pulling it close enough that he could kiss it. "You know… we'll be alone for a couple of hours for the first time in months…"

"Everything that's going on right now and you want to have sex?" Stiles asked incredulously, trying to contain his laughter.

"All of this running is forcing us to drift apart. Maybe we should take this rare opportunity to get better connected to one another," Derek said.

"We're Mates… I thought that was the most profound connection two people could share!" Stiles challenged. Stiles _wanted_ to make love to Derek. He knew, however, that he wouldn't be able to concentrate on Derek if he was thinking about the peril his father was in.

"It would be if you were also a werewolf… but being that you're a human, we need to continuously maintain the Mate connection. As long as we're emotionally connected, scenting is all that's needed. But lately, you've been so distant that I can actually feel our Mate bond slipping," Derek said. Stiles could see the fear in Derek's eyes.

"I asked you to turn me," Stiles countered.

"Yeah… after the Hunters Guild took control and fucked everything up," Derek replied. "Turning you now would mean there's no way you'd survive if we ever get caught."

"So you keep me weak to protect me?" Stiles asked, raising his eyebrow

Derek smiled, pushing Stiles back to the bed he woke up on. "Maybe I keep you weak because I know how much you like it when I hold you down."

Stiles fell backwards, chuckling. Derek's hands moved up Stiles' leg, rubbing against the obvious evidence that his presumption was correct.

Stiles admired Derek for the effect he could always have. Derek removed the weapons holster, tossing it aside. Stiles gave him a dejected pout, "Maybe I wanted those?"

"You want two guns and a knife while we're making love?"

"Who said I wanted you to make love to me?" Stiles asked. He bit his bottom lip. "You're a big strong werewolf and I'm just a weak little human at your mercy…"

Derek pressed his hips firmly against Stiles. "So I'm the Big Bad Wolf to your innocent Little Red?"

"This _Little Red_ has two .50 caliber Desert Eagles and a bitching dagger," Stiles replied. His hand inched down to his erect cock. "But you're still welcome to eat me…"


	2. The Panopticon

Derek licked his lips as he eyed Stiles, who squirmed anxiously beneath him. So much time had passed since the last time they found themselves in this position that the tension and energy between them were tangible. Derek knew that Stiles loved rough sex, but decided to do at least a little prep work. He didn't want to injure his Mate when medical care was so far out of their reach.

Stiles' back arced as fingers slicked in spit breached him. "Derek… Just get to the point!" he urged.

Derek's eyes flashed Alpha red in his lust. He decided to torture Stiles with slow, deliberate movements, stretching him for what was to come. To occupy his hands, Stiles finished removing their shirts, allowing himself to gaze at the powerful, hairy chest of his Mate. It all looked so inviting. Stiles leaned up, taking one of Derek's erect nipples into his mouth.

A low growl rumbled from Derek's throat, enticing Stiles. Derek removed his fingers from Stiles' opening, quickly replacing them with his cock. Stiles cried out, triggering an automatic protective response from Derek. "Am I hurting you?"

"Yes," Stiles moaned. "But keep doing it…"

Derek grinned. He moved Stiles closer to the edge of the bed, pushing his legs up so that they rested around his neck and continued thrusting as one hand immobilized his Mate's arms above his head. He shifted, his claws extending. Stiles loved it when Derek allowed his more feral side to take over. He tried to move a bit, but Derek tightened his grip, shaking his head. He continued pounding into the human, allowing the claws on his other hand to make tiny scratches on Stiles' neck, arms, and chest.

Tiny beads of crimson oozed out of the cuts. Derek licked them clean in an act that turned Stiles on more than he thought it would. "Let go of my hand," he ordered. Derek obeyed, releasing one hand without breaking his pace. Stiles reached over, grabbing his dagger and slashing it across Derek's chest. Derek released a cry of pain.

"What the hell was that for?"

You heal more quickly than I do," Stiles replied. He leaned up, licking the area as the last of the wound was already sealing itself up.

"You kinky little fucker," Derek chuckled, continuing his brutal treatment of the man he loved. A chorus of growls and grunts escaped his throat as he felt his knot building and more animalistic instincts were taking over. He pulled out and flipped Stiles over, pushing back into him, forcing a whimper out of the human. "Do you want my knot?" he whispered into his Mate's ear.

"Don't you already know the answer to that?" Stiles asked.

Derek finally managed to force his ever-expanding knot into Stiles, making him scream out until the knot finally rested against his prostate. Derek rocked back and forth slightly, causing the human a bizarre combination of agony and bliss. It made the human feel loved, but also like property being marked by its owner.

* * *

The knock on the door woke Stiles and Derek up. Instinctively, Stiles reached for his gun before realizing that Guardsmen wouldn't stop to knock. "Did you boys have fun?"

Derek blushed a red more furious than his eyes. "Mr. Stilinski, I'm so sorry…"

The captain shrugged. "It's fine. I don't blame you. But I'm tired and we need someone to go on guard duty."

"I'll patrol," Stiles offered, climbing out of bed and pulling pants on. Within moments, he was clothed, armed, and ready for the shift. He kissed Derek, hugged his father, and told them both he loved them. It was after Scott's capture that he began doing that before each patrol. He came close to never being able to do so again.

He grabbed a supply pack and exited the bunker, shielding himself from the bright light. His backside hurt in a way he absolutely loved. He could feel Derek's seed draining out of him as he began his trek, guns at the ready. He loved the way the metal felt in his hands, though these guns had one very big downside: they packed a huge wallop. They also required a lot of strength to fire. His father told him that when he gave them to him as a gift. He didn't realize then just what his father meant.

He had impeccable aim. His dad referred to it as "prodigious." He'd only ever fatally wounded one person with those guns. It wasn't until then that he realized what strength his father truly spoke of. It had been self-defense. He had no other option. But the moment he knew the Guardsman had died, he changed. His father noticed it. Scott and Isaac noticed it. Derek noticed it. And in a way, he noticed it, too. Though he recognized a darker aspect to his nature that had been growing stronger for a very long time. It became powerful and bloodthirsty. It got even stronger after Scott was taken, consuming him with a nearly insatiable thirst for vengeance.

This was the reason he hated patrol, though. The cycle of thoughts was hardest to escape while he was on patrol. His father and Mate had both trained him to be a great soldier. He followed orders. In the heat of the moment, he made the decisions that might be hard to make. Even with a lack of werewolf senses, he was incredibly observant, often noticing things that escaped even Derek's keen abilities. This combination made it difficult to escape the cycle of thoughts that plagued him, driving him toward a near psychotic bloodlust.

The day was warm and breezy. The bunker was located in a densely wooded area that provided plenty of natural cover. He noticed a change in the breeze, accompanied by an unnatural, unmistakable scent. "These motherfuckers couldn't have been dumb enough to wear cologne…"

He changed his direction, immediately changing his current task from observation to assessment and elimination of a potential threat. While he appreciated the ample hiding space afforded to him by the many trees and shrubs, he recognized that they could just as easily be hiding traps that would likely kill him. He readied both his guns, fingers on the triggers, ready to fire at a moment's notice. As he walked, his eyes were constantly scanning his surroundings, trying to find the best places to step that would be least likely to make noise. After nearly an hour of scouting them, he finally saw them. Three members of the Hunters Guard, a typical Triad.

Triads were the preferred scout method employed by the Guard. Each member of the triad was trained in a specific weapon: rifle, crossbow, and an electric prod. The crossbows were often laced with wolfsbane and the prods delivered enough electricity to disrupt even the most powerful Alpha's ability to shift. Together, they'd be able to easily and effectively take down any threat. Fortunately for Stiles, they had no idea he was there.

He got into a good position, training his guns on the two with long-range weaponry, needing to take them out first to prevent any counter-attack. "For Scott," he whispered, pulling both triggers at the same time. Both bullets hit their marks, effectively destroying their heads. The third was covered in the blood of his fallen comrades as he struggled to find his bearings. They were new, inexperienced. This was working to Stiles' advantage. He moved out of his hiding spot and into plain view of the remaining Guardsman. "Who are you?" he demanded, both guns now trained on the remaining prey. "And what are you doing here?"

"I'm a member of the Hunters Guard!" his prey responded with self-righteous indignation. "I don't answer to rebels."

"If you want to live to report this to your superiors, I think you might want to reconsider that policy," Stiles replied.

"What do you want from me?"

"Just a little information. If you cooperate, I might let you breathe a little longer," Stiles told him.

"How do I know you won't just kill me?"

"That's a risk you're going to need to take. In the end, I'll leave it up to you. Either you answer my questions and have the possibility walking away, or you refuse to answer and I'll just go ahead and kill you right now," Stiles replied.

"What do you want to know?" the Guardsman ceded.

"What do you know about the Panopticon?" Stiles asked.

"It's our highest-security prison. Only the highest-ranking Guardsmen get stationed there. It's where we keep our most dangerous prisoners," he answered.

"What do you mean by 'most dangerous prisoners'?"

"Supernaturals. The werewolves… particularly Alphas."

Stiles' eyes lit up. "Alphas? What about Scott McCall?"

"Wasn't he the first True Alpha in more than a century?" the Guardsman asked. Stiles nodded. "Yeah, he probably went to the Panopticon. Now will you please stop pointing your guns at me?"

Stiles didn't budge. "Where is the Panopticon?"

The Guardsman shrugged. "I have no idea. I'm not ranked high enough. The rumors say that it's located somewhere near Obelisk, but I've been to the Obelisk and I didn't see the Panopticon. I should have been able to if it's as large as they say it is."

"Do they torture people there?"

"They torture anyone who might have information," The Guardsman replied. "But that usually happens at the Obelisk. But if he went to the Panopticon, then they wouldn't have needed to. That prison is designed to break anyone who gets sentenced there. Just being locked up in there is torture."

The image of Scott being tortured pushed Stiles past a breaking point. "Hand me all the weapons you've got on you."

"Are you letting me go? You said that if I helped you, I'd get to go…" the Guardsman whimpered.

"I said no such thing. I said I'd consider letting you leave. Give me the fucking weapons," Stiles' voice became deadly. The Guardsman timidly passed the gun, crossbow, and prod over to Stiles. "Alright. Now are you going to just let your friends' bodies rot, or are you going to give them a proper burial?"

"I'll dig two graves," the Guardsman said.

"Dig three."

"But there are only two…" The Guardsman's voice faded when he made the realization. "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"I still haven't decided. But keep pissing me off and your odds of walking away get slimmer by the second," Stiles responded. "Start digging."

"I need a shovel."

Stiles looked around for something the Guardsman could use. "Here's a flat rock."

As he began digging, the Guardsman asked, "Why did you want to know about the True Alpha? I mean after all, he's probably dead by now."

Stiles momentarily stiffened. "Shut up. Just shut the fuck up!" Before he even had the wherewithal to stop himself, he'd closed the distance between them and begun beating the Guardsman with his gun. Deep crimson stained the silver metal of the gun. Stiles climbed off the quivering mass of human and kicked him in the ribs once for good measure before ordering him to resume digging the graves.

He watched as the Guardsman toiled away for hours, digging and burying his friends before digging the third hole that he might be placed in. The sun got hotter as the day went on and Stiles rifled through his supply pack for some food and water. The Guardsman had removed his shirt and was covered in blood, dirt, and sweat. "Please… I'm thirsty," he complained as he looked over to see Stiles sipping from the cantine.

"That must suck," Stiles replied apathetically. "But I've still not decided your fate yet and it's really fucking hot out here. It'd be irresponsible to waste water on a dying man."

"Why are you doing this to me?" the Guardsman asked, reaching a point of psychological break. The knowledge that he was digging his own grave was eroding years of training.

"Because you're a member of the Hunters Guard," Stiles replied, approaching the sobbing man, climbing down into the grave and drawing his dagger. He tossed it into the air and caught it by the handle for an intimidating effect. "I had to listen as your comrades hauled my best friend off to the Panopticon. I don't know if he's alive or dead… and you know what, I've decided." Stiles put the edge of the dagger to the guardsman's throat, eliciting a whimper of fear and frustration.

"Stiles!" Derek's familiar voice, jerked his attention. "What the hell are you doing! You can't just go around executing members of the Guard!"

"I fired warning shots!" Stiles replied defensively. "Through them!" He pointed at the other two graves.

"This isn't you!" Derek shouted. "Please stop this!"

"Why are you even here? Your patrol doesn't begin for another few hours!" Stiles countered, ignoring Derek's plea.

"I could sense that something was off about you," he replied. "And I was right!"

"Why are you defending these monsters?" Stiles demanded.

"Because you're becoming one of them," Derek said. "You're turning into something no better than they are!"

Stiles lip curled in anger. He stared into Derek's eyes as he made one quick jerking motion, slicing open the Guardsman's throat. Hot blood spattered onto him, dripping down his face. The Guardsman fell to his knees, his hands vainly clutching his throat in an attempt to stop the bleeding. The precision of Stiles' cut made it so that he couldn't even scream out in pain as he collapsed. Stiles pushed himself out of the grave and approached Derek, whose eyes fell the moment Stiles killed the Guardsman.

The Alpha looked as though he was in agony. "Go back to the bunker. I'll finish the remainder of your patrol."

"Why do you insist on trying to parent me?" Stiles asked. "I have a father. I'm working damn hard to do what I need to do to keep it that way!"

Derek still couldn't bring himself to look at his Mate. "I'm watching you slip further and further away from me. I don't know how much more of it I can handle."

"Then just fucking go!" Stiles yelled, anger clogging the filter between his brain and his mouth. "Join Isaac. Be a traitor! He _was_ your Beta, after all!"

Tears streamed out of Derek's eyes. "Don't you think I want to, right now? I love you too much to just stand by and watch you destroy yourself. Please go back to the bunker. I can't be around you right now."

"Those bastards hauled off my best friend. I thought you knew me better than to expect me to just let it happen and not at least _attempt_ to avenge him!" Stiles argued. "Especially now that we can't just escape over the Wall!"

"You're right," Derek replied, still trying to look at anything but his blood-drenched Mate. "I can't blame you for wanting revenge. But I can blame you for letting the person _I_ love die inside that miserable husk of a human that you've become. Now just go."

Stiles could see that Derek was hurt. He reached for Derek's hand, but the Alpha snatched it away. "Please, Derek. I'm sorry."

"What, exactly, are you sorry for?" Derek asked.

Stiles knew this was a test. He knew the answer Derek wanted to hear, but he couldn't bring himself to give it. He couldn't apologize for killing the Guardsman. "Any Guardsman in the ground is one I don't have to fear taking you or my father away from me. I'm not sorry for killing them. But I'm sorry I've upset you."

"Wrong answer," Derek responded, sadly, making one quick gesture, that put his palm firmly in the center of Stiles' chest, knocking him backwards and taking the air out of his lungs.

Stiles saw stars as he struggled to stand up. "Fuck you, Derek."

* * *

The wolf wept as he continued his patrol. He regretted laying a hand on Stiles, adding it to the ever-growing list of regrets he had. He knew Stiles was just angry and frustrated and he was bearing the brunt of that frustration since there was no other outlet. Slowly, he headed back to the bunker, gathering some wildflowers into a bunch. He didn't want things to stay tense between them. As he approached the bunker, he inhaled. There were strange scents. It wasn't the Guardsman's blood. There were three scents he'd never encountered. He broke into a run. The metal door was blasted open. Inside, the place looked like it had been ransacked. "Stiles!" Derek called frantically. He tried to focus on his Mate, going from room to room, hoping to find the human hiding. Of course, his luck never ran that way. Stiles and his father were gone. They didn't leave willingly.

* * *

The artificial light hurt Stiles' eyes. The cell was small. Every corner held a camera that would follow his movements. The back wall of the cell was solid concrete with no window to view the outside world. The walls to either side were made of thick glass. To his left was Scott's cell. His best friend was staring at the doorway to his cell, crying. "Scott!" Stiles cried. "Thank God you're alright!" He pounded against the glass, but his friend didn't respond. Scott made no motion to indicate that he heard anything.

The cell to his right contained his father, still unconscious from the brutal beatings they'd suffered at the hands of the Guardsmen.

The front of the cell was a force field. Stiles knew better than to try to get through it. He looked around until the small room. The force field became opaque and then a face appeared on it. Sound filled his cell, but it didn't seem to disturb any of the surrounding prisoners.

The face was that of an old man. He had wild eyes and short, white hair. "You've been a thorn in my side for a very long time, Mr. Stilinski. But not anymore. Welcome to the Panopticon."

* * *

**Author's Note**: I hope you enjoyed the first two chapters of my new story! This was a series of dreams I've had over the last couple of weeks. I plan on continuing this (after I finish a couple of ongoing stories). Please let me know what you thought so far!


	3. Bending Trees and Breaking Limbs

**Derek**

The cold wind forced Derek to curl up into a ball. He instinctively reached over to Stiles, wanting to help keep his Mate warm. His hand fell straight to the dirt. Derek woke up in a panic, before the realization returned to him. His Mate was gone. He could feel his chest tightening in anguish. Though he'd only gotten two hours of sleep at most, he knew he'd not get any more so he decided to venture on.

He had a very faint idea of the direction Isaac had travelled in. He needed to wait until the full moon on the next night to know for sure. He also knew he needed more help than a Beta werewolf who hated his guts. He needed to build a new pack. He only hoped he could convince Isaac to join him. It meant he'd have to ask fewer favors of the other Alphas.

Rolling up the sleeping bag, Derek was caught off-guard by just how lonely he felt. He hadn't even felt this lonely after the fire that claimed his family. Stiles' absence made him feel as though half of his soul was missing. The pain was made more intense by how they left it. He couldn't allow Stiles' final words to him to be "Fuck you, Derek." He couldn't permit his last action towards his Mate to be a display of violence. He couldn't remember what his last words to his family were. He hoped they had been 'I love you'.

Once his gear pack was put back together, Derek continued his trek. He was heading in the opposite direction of the Panopticon. On one hand, he was proud of Isaac for seeking shelter in a safer place. On the other hand, he was cursing Isaac for forcing him to move even further away from Stiles. It wasn't until he heard a snapping twig that he froze.

* * *

**Stiles**

Stiles' body ached for sleep, but every time, he drifted off, he was met with a painful jolt of electricity. "I can do this all day, Stiles," a lovely brunette woman chuckled, her lips near his. "You're so sexy when you squirm."

"I'm glad you like the view," Stiles managed.

"Your boyfriend was better," Kate shrugged. Stiles froze. Suddenly he couldn't even concentrate on how much pain he was in or how tired he was. "Now that man knew how to take some pain. At one point, I could actually smell the hair burning off his body and he just kept taking it. I wanted to fuck him right then." She smiled, noticing her prisoner's reaction. "Oh… Did I strike a nerve there? Did you not know that your little Alpha had a past before he met you? Did you know that his eyes were blue before they were red?" Stiles tried to remain stoic, but she had him. He was instantly trying to search his weary mind for any other information Derek might have left out in their time together.

"My Mate and I had no secrets," Stiles lied, hoping she was bluffing. Perhaps she was just trying to unnerve him. She hadn't used any names yet. She only referred to him as 'the Alpha.'

"If that's true, then you'd know where he's going. He'll try to save you. He needs help. Where are they?" she asked.

"I don't know who you're talking about!" Stiles said for what seemed like the millionth time.

"I really thought you'd be smarter than this, Stiles," she sighed, lazily reaching over and hitting the button that caused electricity to flow through is body. His vision turned blue. He could feel his nerves burning. His muscles spasmed. The tears sizzled off his skin. When the pain finally stopped, she approached him, getting less than an inch from his face. "Every time I hit that button, Derek feels that pain. That's the downside to being Mates. And if I were to accidentally kill you… do you know what it would do to him?"

Stiles' eyes filled with fear. She said his name. She knew who his Mate was. "Please stop… I don't know anything…"

"But you do, Stiles," she replied. "So let me give you some incentive that might work. If your heart ends up stopping, Derek will be forced to live out the rest of his life in excruciating pain. Do you know how we know this? Because we've captured Mates. We've studied them. When you torture one, you torture the other. If you want to break one, you kill the other." She pressed a button on the wall. A screen lit up with a video. It showed two prisoners in their cells. One was being electrocuted as Stiles was. The other was curled up on the ground, howling in pain. Then one of the Guardsmen pulled out a gun and shot the werewolf that had been tortured in the head. There was no way his healing ability would be able to save him. Though the Mate couldn't see it, she began screaming, clawing at her chest, as if she were trying to rip out her heart. In the end, a Guardsman executed her, too. It was the only merciful thing Stiles had ever seen a Guardsman do.

"I know he'd go to the Alphas, but I swear I don't know where they are," Stiles said.

* * *

**Derek**

Petrified that he might be in the crosshairs of a member of the Hunters Guard, Derek crouched low, trying to find somewhere he could easily conceal himself. "Stand up proud," a familiar voice called as the footsteps approached. He could hear the heartbeats of several different people approaching. Slowly, Derek got to his feet. In moments, he was surrounded luminescent red eyes. "You're an Alpha, after all."

Derek concentrated. Finally, the person belonging to the voice stepped into the moonlight. Derek gasped. "Uncle Peter? I… I thought you died."

"I'm very much alive… one of two Hale Alphas, it seems," Peter replied, flashing a smile.

Derek looked around. He recognized Deucalion, the leader of the Alpha pack, Ennis, and then there were two younger twin Alphas he didn't know. "Where's Kali?" She was a powerful Alpha, great in combat. Derek was hoping she'd be willing to leverage her skills in the attempt to get Stiles back.

Peter put his arms out. "Let's just say, she vacated her position, so I took over." Derek instantly knew that somehow, Peter had killed Kali and was now Deucalion's second-in-command.

"I need to ask a favor of you," Derek said, directing his voice to the group, but more specifically, Deucalion. "My Mate has been captured by the Hunters Guard. I have reason to believe he's being held at the Panopticon."

"The Panopticon is a myth," Ennis interjected.

Deucalion put his hand up, silencing them. "You're positive that he's kept there?"

"He's killed several Guardsmen to protect werewolves. I don't think they'd bring him anywhere else," Derek insisted. "Please help me. I'll do anything."

Deucalion remained silent for several minutes as he considered the request. "We will offer our protection and help on one condition. You must join our pack."

Derek hated the idea of being in a pack with the other Alphas, but if it was how he could get to Stiles, he'd suffer through until he could break away again. "Sure. Of course!"

Wagging his finger, Deucalion chuckled. "There is a cost of admission… I think you know what it is."

Derek sighed. "I have no pack to kill. I was looking for the one beta I've created. I was going to use a ritual on tomorrow's full moon to find him. I think his Mate might be with Stiles."

"And who might his Mate be?" Deucalion asked.

"Scott McCall… the True Alpha."

A collective gasp escaped the other Alphas.

"But I refuse to kill another werewolf when there are so few of us left," Derek said. "I'll find another way. Sorry for wasting your time." He turned to leave, but the Twins blocked his path. "I don't want any trouble. I just can't afford to waste time. I need to find my Mate."

"Duke, let me talk to him," Peter said.

"Fine."

Peter put his arm around Derek's shoulders, guiding him away. "Why didn't you come find me?" Derek asked. "I've spent years thinking I was the last Hale remaining."

"I thought Stiles would have told you that I was alive," Peter replied.

"Why would he even know who you are?"

"Three years ago, he came to us, asking us to turn him," Peter explained. "There was something about him… we couldn't quite explain. So with his permission, we all checked to see if he was possibly a Mate to one of us. He reacted to me, but I suspect it was because he was destined for you. Since none of us felt a Mate connection, we refused to turn him."

Derek froze, anger and hurt clouding his mind. "Are you saying that every one of you fucked my Mate?"

"He wasn't your Mate at the time, Derek," Peter pointed out. "You two hadn't even met. And to be honest, I didn't think that _you_ survived the fire. We were at our lowest in terms of numbers. We all took a chance. If he ended up being one of ours, we would have turned him. Please don't be mad at me, Derek. I'm just glad that you're alive."

"This is a lot to take in," Derek admitted. "In the same week, I've had my Mate taken from me, learned that I still have family alive, and that my one remaining family member might have fucked my Mate." The difficulty Derek was having with this was not necessarily that the Alphas had all been with Stiles. It was the fact that Stiles told him he was a virgin and his uncle had a history of lying if it meant he'd gain something. His instinct told him to trust his Mate. The Alphas had something to gain by Derek joining them. If he killed a pack of betas, he'd grow stronger. Then by joining the Alpha pack, he'd make the pack, and especially Deucalion stronger.

Then again, what Peter was saying could explain certain aspects of Stiles, Derek thought. Deucalion's nickname was "The Demon Wolf." A human being exposed to that much of such a powerful force of evil could have consequences… such as the darkness that was slowly consuming Stiles.

"You can't hope to rescue your Mate from the Panopticon even with a pack of hundreds. You need our help, Derek. I think it's more effective for you to do what it takes to join our pack. You'll be more powerful with us than you'd ever be as an Alpha with a pack of your own," Peter offered. "And you'll have a family again."

"I had a family with him," Derek replied. "That's all I need. You don't have a Mate. You don't realize what it's like."

"I realize that we're living in a time when our numbers are at an all-time low. Our kind will die out if something isn't done. We need to destroy the Guild and show them that we won't cower with our tails between our legs. We will fight. We'll establish our kind as the dominant species and finally take our rightful spot above them," Peter urged.

"That's not sustainable either," Derek argued. "If we do that, then we just turn ourselves into the Guild and nothing changes. I don't care about overthrowing the government. All I want is my Mate back. So either you can help me, or I'll figure out how to do it on my own. Just don't get in my way."

"Then why not pay the entry price to our Pack?"

"Because… if I turn a bunch of humans only to kill them, how do I become any different than the Guardsmen who slaughter us?" Derek asked. "I don't want unnecessary blood on my hands."

Peter sighed. "You are your mother's son. I'll talk to Deucalion. In the meantime, create a Pack. You're welcome to get some rest in our cave tonight. You look like you haven't really slept in days."

"I'm used to sleeping next to Stiles," Derek replied. "His heartbeat usually calmed me."

"If you need to take a little stress of your mind, feel free to use one of the Twins," Peter told him. "Duke, Ennis, and I use them all the time. They were Omegas when we found them… we only let them think they're Alphas."

* * *

**Stiles**

Derek filled every thought of his. Even as Guardsmen dragged his seemingly lifeless body, throwing it casually in his cell, Stiles thought of Derek. He thought of how he left things and he wept. All of the pain and frustration he'd felt in the past few years, he allowed himself to weep. He was in agony, both physically and mentally. Kate was chipping even further away at his sanity. He wasn't sure how much more he could take, but he needed to for Derek.

Food and water were pushed into his cell. His grumbling stomach forced him toward it like a starving dog. He didn't even care that the pressure of the cup against his swollen lip hurt. Pain was his life and the water was too refreshing. He forced himself not to drink all of it before he scarfed down the thing that passed as a meal in the Panopticon. In his hunger, Stiles scarfed down the tepid lumpy goo. Slowly, he turned his head, seeing Scott watching him with a mix of sadness and defeat. He turned to the other direction, seeing his father's look of worry and regret. He wished he could talk to them.

Instead, he climbed into the uncomfortable cot and curled into a tight ball, finally able to rest.

* * *

**Derek**

The day greeted Derek with the same anguish and pain it always did, as he reached for the Mate that wasn't there. Peter approached him, bringing hot food. It smelled better than Derek could have imagined and he thanked his uncle before quickly eating it.

"What are you going to do?" Peter asked him.

"I'm going to accept Deucalion's help, but he needs to know that there are conditions," Derek replied.

"You don't just give Deucalion conditions!" Peter snarled. "He's the Demon Wolf… the Alpha of Alphas!"

"And I'm the son of Talia Hale," Derek snapped, staring at his uncle. "That carries some weight."

"You're right," a familiar voice joined them. Derek looked over to see the Demon Wolf standing in the doorway. He held a long stick out in front of him. In the dark, Derek hadn't noticed that Deucalion was blind. "But I assure you, it will only get you so far with me. So name your condition. I'll tell you if I agree to it."

"We need numbers, so I can make several betas… but I will not kill them just to join you," Derek told him.

Deucalion smirked, seemingly amused by the young Alpha's condition. "You would keep yourself limited?" he asked. "Why?"

Derek thought hard before giving his answer. "Because I refuse to become like you.

* * *

**Stiles**

The man who had appeared to Stiles, welcoming him to the Panopticon, sat on a small stool. Stiles immediately went from groggy to wide-awake. He had no way to gauge how much time had passed. He could have only slept for hours, or been out for days. His eyes scanned the old man and he instantly noticed one of his guns sitting on the man's lap. "Sweet dreams?" the man asked.

Not wanting to show that the torture was starting to get to him, Stiles nodded. "It's been great."

The old man laughed. "You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age," he mused.

Stiles' lip curled in disgust. "I'm nothing like you."

Once again, the old man erupted into laughter. "Whether you want to admit it or not, you have more in common with me than you do with that mongrel in the cage next to you. You're strong. You're ruthless, especially when protecting something you love. I admire that, Stiles."

"We. Are. Not. Alike."

"I'm Gerard," the man said. "I'm the leader of the Guild."

"I don't care who you are," replied Stiles with a dismissive tone.

"You should," Gerard responded. "I'm offering you a chance at freedom. You're only going to leave this prison in one of three ways. Two of which require a body bag. The other option is you join the Hunters Guard. Of course we'd need to reprogram you. Right now I couldn't trust you in the field. But with a little time and training, you could become my perfect soldier."

"I'd rather die than become a monster like you!" Stiles spat.

Gerard narrowed his eyes. "You have a very warped view of what monstrosity actually looks like."

Glaring back at the old man, Stiles said, "It may be warped, but I tend to know a monster when I'm staring right into his eyes."

Realizing he was getting nowhere, Gerard stood up. "This chat has been fun. I'll leave you with a little gift. This is one of the guns you had on you when we captured you. I've left one bullet in it for the eventuality that you decide you no longer wish to be my guest here." He slid the gun across the floor and Stiles picked it up, happy to have the cold, heavy metal in his hand once again. "But if you change your mind, all you have to do is say so and we can begin the reprogramming process." With that, Gerard left.

Stiles brought the barrel of the gun to the side of his head, wondering what it felt like. His father and Scott watched in horror, banging helplessly against the glass that separated them. Slowly, he lowered it back down. He intended to use that bullet. Just not on himself. That bullet was destined for Gerard.

It was moments later that two members of the Hunters Guard appeared in Stiles' cell. "Kate wants to see you." Stiles felt his heart sink. He had only been given the illusion of choice. He realized that they were going to torture him into his decision. Either he was going to kill himself to escape, die during torture, or take their offer and essentially be killed anyway if his imagination was accurate about the reprogramming that was to take place. The guard snatched the gun from his hand, tossing it casually onto the cot.

Cuffs were placed around his wrists and he was escorted out once again. This path was growing increasingly familiar. He looked as he saw various werewolves locked in their cells. They were all dying from hunger, thirst, or insanity.

When they were finally in the torture chamber, Kate greeted them with a pleasant smile. She dismissed one of the guards. Addressing the other, she said, "Can you please help our guest strip. I want him completely naked."

"What are you going to do to me?" Stiles asked as the guard's rough hands tore off clothing, leaving him feeling exposed and vulnerable as her eyes raked over his body. He tried to cover himself to protect at least some of his modesty, but the guard kept his hands restrained, keeping him from having even that small comfort.

Kate licked her lips. "You're a work of art, Stiles. I'm just glad that our previous encounters haven't marred your body in any way." She pressed a button on a remote and a body-shaped machine opened up, revealing a hollow interior. "Go ahead, Stiles. Step inside."

Stiles had no choice but to obey as the guard pushed him into position, only releasing his arms when he had to, strapping them into the holsters within the machine before another press of the button caused the machine to seal Stiles inside it. Only his head was visible, the rest of it locked inside the giant metal suit.

"I'm good at producing results," she said. "I love breaking a man. The moment of change is visible. You can actually see a man go from a pillar of egoistic pursuit to a toy at my disposal. My previous methods haven't worked on you. You seem intent on causing your mate excruciating pain. I'm having to resort to the heavy artillery." She slowly approached him. The touch of a button caused a probe to begin inserting itself into Stiles, who squirmed uncomfortably. "Oh stop it, Stiles. We both know Derek is larger than that."

"Please don't do this," Derek begged.

"If you would have just taken Daddy's offer… I wouldn't have to. Luckily, the longest anyone has ever held out in this machine is 72 hours… but he went insane," she told him. "Care to try to beat the record?" Stiles shook his head and began begging her not to as he felt the first blade begin to slice into him in a manner that seemed as though his skin was being peeled off. He screamed out. She simply blew him a kiss. "Good night, Stiles."

* * *

**Derek**

The moon was bright and in full view as Derek extended a claw, cutting open his arm and letting it drain into a bowl. He'd had a general sense of malaise and nausea since Stiles had been taken. He just needed to complete the ritual and find Isaac. Then he could turn two people and the Alpha Pack would help him get his Mate back.

When enough of his blood had pooled into the bowl and the wound had sealed up, he added several herbs and shifted completely. He'd never actually used this ritual before. All he knew was that now he needed to roar loudly.

He inhaled deeply, readying himself when, instead, he felt a sharp pain all over his body. There was no other explanation. He knew it had to have something to do with Stiles. He let out his roar, allowing it to fill then exit him before he knew exactly where Isaac was. The intensity of his pain got worse. He wondered what Stiles was enduring. He knew only that he needed to stop it.

* * *

_The night air was still. Derek and Stiles stared up at the sky, littered with shiny specks of light. "How many are up there?" Stiles asked._

"_I think people have been trying to answer that question since the dawn of time," Derek replied, reaching over to interlock their fingers._

"_You know we're fugitives now, right?" Stiles needed to make conversation. There had been so much silence that he couldn't stand having more of it._

_He could hear Derek shrug. "We've got each other… Scott, Isaac, and your dad. I think we'll be fine."_

"_There's a chance we could get separated at some point, you know," Stiles pointed out._

_Derek scooted himself closer to Stiles. "I dare someone to try. You don't go between an Alpha and his Mate."_

"_But what if?" Stiles asked._

_Derek squeezed the human's hand tightly, but not enough to cause pain. "If you are ever separated from me and afraid, just count the stars until your hand is back in mine."_

* * *

**Author's Note:** Alright, I wanted to get this up and out of the way before my first exam and first paper of the semester (wish me luck!) But interesting questions have been raised... Can Derek believe his uncle? Should Stiles believe Kate? Who knows? Please leave feedback, thoughts, suggestions, **constructive** criticisms... all of it is welcome! I'll be updating either _The Servants_ or _Fast Times at Beacon Hills Academy_ next.


	4. Shadows and Secrets

**Warning**: Just in time for us to Lose Our Minds at tonight's episode... I wanted to offer a warning for NonCon.

* * *

**Stiles**

His voice was hoarse, bordering on non-existent. He wasn't sure if he had any skin or muscle left on his bone. In the last 48 hours, he'd felt it peeled off, burned, electrocuted. The probe that had been inserted to him would even emit waves that would bring him to the brink of orgasm right before the next round of pain, making each cut feel deeper, each burn feel hotter, and each shock more powerful. Everything that could be done to his body had been except the one thing that he wanted: death.

He didn't scream anymore. It wasn't like it would do any good. He just let his head hang forward as he cried. No more tears formed in his eyes. He could almost let himself fall asleep, but the moment he got close, a new pain would assert itself, jolting him back to consciousness. As electricity replaced fire, a rustling sound caught my attention. From a hallway leading into the room, he noticed a familiar silhouette. "Who's there?" he croaked, his throat felt raw and painful from the screaming.

"Shh," the figure said, stepping closer. "Don't make any sudden movements. They'll be less likely to focus their cameras on you if you stay still."

He knew that voice from anywhere. "Derek?" He saw the figure nod. "You shouldn't be here… they'll kill you if they catch you!"

Derek moved closer. "They'll never know I was here. I promised you I'd keep you safe."

"Can you turn off this machine?" I asked.

He looked over at the control. "It's protected by Mountain Ash. I won't be able to. But I can take some of your pain."

Stiles felt Derek's hand against his face and did his best to lean into it. A little bit of the pain eased out of him. "I never thought I'd see you again," Stiles confessed. "I thought my last words to you were going to be… I'm so sorry, Derek. I love you."

"Shh," he said again. "It's alright, Stiles. I've already forgiven you. Call it canine loyalty… but I'll always forgive you. I love you, after all."

"How did you get in here?" Stiles asked.

"They have you," Derek replied simply. "Therefore I had to save you."

"No but really," Stiles insisted. If Derek could get in, he reasoned, they might be able to get out.

"It's not important right now," Derek said. "Someone's coming. I've got to go. Don't worry. I won't get caught."

The unmistakable clack of Kate's heels echoed into the room. Stiles looked around, trying to see where Derek might have hidden. Wherever he went, it was a choice because there was no sign of him. "Stiles… Stiles, Stiles, Stiles…"

"That's my name," he grunted as the razors began their next round.

"Still sassy after two days in the machine… I'm impressed," she remarked, hitting a button, bringing the cutting sensation to a stop. For the first time in 48 hours, Stiles didn't feel pain being inflicted on him. She pressed another button and the probe that brought him so often to the brink retracted. Yet one more button and Stiles heard the machine unlatching. He steeled himself, ready to see the damage that had been done to his body, the mangled flesh and meat that might be left.

As the machine swung open, Stiles wasn't prepared for the sight. He looked normal. There wasn't so much as a laceration marred his pale skin. "But…" he mumbled.

"It's an amazing machine, isn't it?" she said. "It can make you go through hell over and over… and when all is said and done, we can do it again." Stiles felt a strange level of disappointment. All those hours of agony and there wasn't even a scratch to show for it. It was like all of that suffering had been for nothing. He fell forward, unable to rely on the machine to support him and he felt weak and disoriented. Two Guardsmen came in as Kate continued speaking. "I'll let you take a brief nap and then I'll show you another method we have for extracting information. Although I feel you might find it particularly… _invasive_." The Guardsmen picked his limp body up, as they did before, and dragged it back to his cell. Stiles couldn't concentrate on anything other than the fact that Derek was still inside that torture chamber with Kate.

He didn't care that his naked body was being paraded in front of his fellow inmates. He could only think about the fact that Derek was so close… but with the eyes of the Panopticon seemingly everywhere, they were once again far apart.

The Guardsmen were kind enough to at least place him in the cot where Stiles was instantly asleep.

When he woke up, he had no idea how much time had passed. All he knew was that there was another bowl of warmish gruel and some water at the entrance to his cell. He ate it quickly, unable to slow down from the hunger he was feeling. When that was done, he set the bowl down on the floor and curled back up into the cot, avoiding yet more concerned looks from his father. He was almost asleep again when he remembered that he'd seen Derek. He felt a surge of pain in his chest. At least he had Derek's forgiveness, though he was certain that if Derek got caught, Gerard or Kate would have him painfully executed in front of him.

Stiles shook his head, trying to force that image out of it. He stared straight ahead for a while until Guardsmen came to fetch him. "Let me guess," he said as the force field that sealed his cell faded away. "Kate wants to see me."

They responded in unison with a grunt. A complete lack of grace or finesse marked the way they dragged him out of the cot by his wrists. They dragged him back to the torture room. The machine stood open and Stiles felt a pang of fear as he foresaw the possibility of returning to that machine for yet another undetermined amount of time.

After a few moments, two more Guardsmen joined them with another inmate. His eyes were glowing red. He was an Alpha. Kate soon joined them. "Hello Stiles," she said. "Are you ready to answer my question?"

"Yes, Kate… you _are_ the raging psycho bitch everyone thinks you are," Stiles replied with a glare.

"You know what question I'm talking about, Stiles. Don't play games!" she warned.

Stiles acted as though he were thinking on an answer before responding. "42. Front to back. Yes, those pants _do_ make your butt look big. No, I'm not afraid of you… and no, I won't tell you where the Alpha pack is because, and I'll say it one last time… I DON'T FUCKING KNOW!"

Kate looked livid. "I was trying to avoid this, but you know what, you've tried my patience long enough. There are ways to extract information that bypass even _your_ stubborn streak. But you should know… once we have this information, you become useless to us. Aaron, have at him."

Stiles knew that being useless meant the likelihood of continued survival all but vanished. He cast a glance at the Alpha who stood there, poised to do Kate's bidding and steal the memories locked deep within his mind. "Please don't do this… because even if the memory is still in here, they're the ones who will help free us all."

"I've been locked in here for three years," Aaron replied. "Something tells me they might not be coming for me."

Stiles scrambled, trying to give the Alpha a good enough reason to leave him alone. "I'm somebody's Mate. It's a taboo to harm another's Mate."

The Alpha shrugged. "I don't care. They're offering me something I can't really refuse."

He moved closer and Stiles winced shuffled to get away from him. "Derek Hale…"

He paused. "What did you say?"

"Derek Hale. That's my Mate," Stiles clarified.

"His uncle, Peter Hale is the reason my Mate is dead. I'm going to enjoy this quite a bit," he replied. Stiles looked on in horror as the Alpha approached him.

"We'll give you two some privacy," Kate said as she and the Guardsmen filed out of the room. Stiles backed against a wall, knowing that this Alpha was faster and stronger, and that eventually, he would do what he came here to do.

"Please don't do this," Stiles begged. "I know Peter is an ass but neither Derek nor I had anything to do to him. Please…"

"I guess we'll find out, right?" Aaron mused, a smile parted his lips. He closed the distance between them. "This will hurt less if you stay still."

Aaron turned Stiles around, pressing his naked body against the wall. Stiles cried out as he felt claws stab into his neck. Stiles could see the memories Aaron was accessing. There were intimate memories between him and Derek… memories about their time on the run… memories from when they first met… Then there was the time Stiles visited the Alphas.

Derek had given him information on how to subvert an Alpha who was trying to take memories. Stiles began thinking about other things, bouncing his thoughts all over the place. He tried to think about anything other than the Alpha pack or Derek. He brought up his memories of his guns… of killing Guardsmen… his knife. Aaron released a frustrated growl and retracted his claws.

"There is more than one way to stream your focus, Stiles," he growled. He quickly pulled a metal examination table into the center of the room and stripped off his clothing. Stiles knew instantly what was about to happen.

"Aaron… please," he begged once again. "You don't have to do this. I'll tell you what I know…" Aaron brutishly grabbed Stiles' arm and forced him onto the table. "I'm someone's Mate… please don't do this to me…"

"Kate already promised me I could," Aaron replied with a flippant air as he began forcing himself in. Stiles screamed and clawed at the metal table beneath him. He preferred the torture machine to this. "It's been so long… and you're so tight…"

Stiles began to cry. "Please spare me to commentary."

While Aaron wasn't as large as Derek, the fact that he was forcing himself on Stiles made it more painful than anything the human had previously experienced. Stiles knew that since he'd been marked by a werewolf, Aaron was going to knot him and sure enough, he felt the familiar agony of a werewolf's knot forcing its way into his body. He had just been raped, and now had to stay there with his rapist's cock buried inside him as copious amounts of semen filled his gut. "Now that you aren't going anywhere," Aaron added. "Let's get back to your memories. It'll actually be a lot easier now that I've got you on my knot… who knows… I might even bite you and make you mine."

"I'm Derek Hale's Mate!" I spat angrily as his claws dug back into my neck.

"And until he turns and claims you, you're fair game," Aaron replied. "Ah yes… the Alphas. Interesting that my knot inside you is what made your thoughts about them clearer…"

Aaron moved his hips a bit, causing Stiles pain. "Will you stop moving?"

Stiles felt the claws go slightly deeper before he heard Aaron exclaim "There it is…" There were a few moments of silence and then he chuckled, "Oh Stiles… you little slut… The entire Alpha pack?"

It was not long after Aaron's knot faded that the Alpha finally pulled out and Kate entered the room. Aaron pulled his clothes back on as Stiles managed to get back to his feet, finding it hard to walk after such brutish treatment. "What information can you give us?" she asked Aaron.

"He hasn't seen the Alpha pack for quite some time, but I can give you their location when he _did_ see them," Aaron told her. The two of them plotted it on a map and she gave him a congratulatory pat on the back.

"Thank you. You've been quite helpful. As a reward, we'll be moving you into his cell," she told him.

"No!" Stiles begged. He couldn't put his father and best friend through the pain of having to watch this Alpha rape him at will. "Please… just put me back in the machine. Or kill me… I don't care which!"

Kate simply laughed. "Stiles, by definition, torture isn't about what _you_ want."

For the first time since coming into the Panopticon, Stiles truly felt defeated. He needed Derek to get him out soon. "I'll take Gerard's offer," he said, ready to do anything it took to not have Aaron rape him again.

Kate looked at Aaron with glee. "You truly are a wonderwolf!" She then turned her attention back to Stiles. "I'll let him know. It'll take about two days to get your training ready. Until then, you'll be Aaron's personal chew toy. I hope your father and the True Alpha enjoy their show."

Four Guardsmen entered the room, hauling Stiles and Aaron back to Stiles' cell. The moment the force field sealed behind him, Aaron threw Stiles to the floor and resumed making use of Stiles' body.

Stiles focused his vision straight ahead, trying not to see the protests of his best friend and his father as they watched what was happening, helpless to save the one they loved from his fate. Stiles considered using his bullet on Aaron, but realizing he couldn't guarantee it would kill him before werewolf healing kicked in, he decided he'd save it on Gerard. Across the way, Stiles saw two glowing red eyes. He knew they were Derek's… and he knew they were angry.

* * *

**Derek**

Isaac exuded rage as he approached. "You've got to be fucking kidding me," he growled.

"I wouldn't have summoned you if I didn't need you," Derek assured him. "This I promise you."

"Then tell me what was so fucking important!"

"Stiles got captured by the Guild. He has likely been brought to the Panopticon," Derek told him.

"And why should I care?" Isaac asked. "He's the reason Scott got taken. And I seem to remember your advice to me being that I should be thankful I wasn't taken and that the best way to honor his memory was to hide somewhere else."

"Scott might be there too. He's a True Alpha. They likely would have kept him alive just because of how powerful he is," Derek explained. "I need you to rejoin my pack. We're going to invade the Panopticon and get them out."

"You're insane," Isaac replied.

"No, I'm not," Derek answered. "You two can come out now…"

Two more betas dressed in the garb of the Hunters Guild came out from behind nearby trees. "Who are they?"

"Hopefully your future packmates," Derek said. He pointed to the imposing black man and introduced him as Boyd, then the lovely young blonde, whom he introduced as Erica.

"They're dressed like Guardsmen," Isaac pointed out.

"Because they are Guardsmen," Derek told him. "They don't agree with what the Guild is doing either. They're our ticket into the Panopticon."

Isaac shifted his weight from foot to foot. "And what if Scott isn't alive?"

"Have you felt him die?" Derek asked.

"I'm in pain all the time," Isaac replied. "How would I even know?"

"Believe me," Derek said softly. "You'd know. So what do you say?"

"I'll join you," Isaac said. "But the moment I have Scott back, I'm gone."

Derek felt measurably stronger the moment Isaac made the decision. His eyes glowed a bright, ominous red.

They made camp and slept, each taking turns on guard duty. Derek had a difficult time sleeping, sensing every single time Stiles was violated by some werewolf. The next morning, as the sun rose over the mountain range, he headed toward the Alpha Pack's lair, instructing his betas not to follow.

Deucalion and Peter met him. "I've got a small pack. I'm ready to save Stiles."

"And you're sure you don't want to kill them?" Deucalion asked. "You'll find it very liberating…"

"There haven't been two Hales in the same pack for a very long time," Derek said. "And perhaps it should stay that way."

"Very well," Deucalion replied. "We'll head out at noon."

* * *

**Author's Note**: Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought!


	5. A Game of Strategy

**Stiles**

The moment the Guardsmen came to bring him to Gerard, Stiles whispered a promise to the Alpha in his cell. "As soon as I'm a fully-fledged member of the Guard, I will make sure you pay for this."

"I'm an Alpha and you're a human, I sincerely doubt it," Aaron replied dismissively. "But these last two days were a lot of fun… if you get lonely, come to my cell. I'll take care of you."

"Eat wolfsbane, you fucking animal," Stiles spat as he pulled on clothes the Guardsmen handed him.

The Guardsmen led him to a part of the facility he never had been to before. There was Kate, Gerard, a young woman who looked to be Stiles' age, and a handsome man with piercing blue eyes. Gerard greeted Stiles warmly. "I knew you would eventually accept my offer, Stiles. I just didn't know it would be so soon."

"You didn't give me much of a choice," Stiles replied tersely. "You had an Alpha rape me."

"Is this true?" the girl and the man asked in unison.

"Allison, Chris… it was for the greater good. Who better to join us in our fight against these monstrosities of nature than someone who has lived among them?" Gerard answered.

Stiles took note of the names, quickly committing them to memory and adding them to the list of people he was going to kill. "How do we know we can trust him?" the Kate asked.

"Because once he has gone through the process, he'll be a more loyal member of the Argent clan than even you are," Gerard mused.

Kate scoffed at the insinuation. "I highly doubt that…"

"You would be surprised," Gerard laughed. He then directed his attention back to Stiles. "Chris, I want you to take young Stiles here under your wing. Give him the guiding influence that only you can give after, of course… a few more sessions with Kate."

"No!" Stiles begged. "Please…"

"It's for your own good, Stiles," Kate said to a terrified Stiles. "We need to create a marked break with your subversive attachment to these mutts."

* * *

**Derek**

The Alphas met up with Derek's Pack shortly after noon. The twins seemed angry that they had to risk their lives for someone who wasn't even a part of the Pack, but Derek got the idea that nobody in Deucalion's Pack was particularly willing to sacrifice themselves for anyone.

"Do we even know where the Panopticon is?" Isaac asked.

"_We_ do not," Deucalion replied. "_I_, however, do."

"Then by all means, Demon Wolf, lead the way…" Isaac growled.

Deucalion growled at Isaac's impudence and Derek issued a hushed "Show some respect."

Isaac glared at Derek and replied simply, "I'll show him the respect I think he deserves…"

To Derek's surprise, this resulted in chuckles from both Peter and Deucalion. The two of them whispered something Derek couldn't make out and laughed again. Derek made it a point to stay near Isaac, feeling the need to protect him from the two Alphas.

* * *

**Stiles**

As Stiles hung from the ceiling, he was surrounded by images of werewolves. There were photographs of glowing eyes… red, blue, yellow. Stiles strained his eyes to see if any of the red eyes belonged to Derek. He hoped that Derek was still lying low in the recesses of the building, biding his time.

"Your problem," Kate said as she circled him, holding a weapon that emitted electricity, "is that you were duped into believing that these affronts to nature can be considered human like us. I'm going to reteach you how to think about them."

"And how do you plan to do that?" Stiles asked. "More Alphas raping my mind and body?"

Kate cocked her head to the side. "Oh no, sweetie... I'm going to rely on more traditional methods for this one. First, we need unflinching obedience. So when I tell you that two plus two is five, you simply agree with me."

"But it isn't. It's four," Stiles replied. No sooner were the words out of his mouth was there a sharp pain in his side. He screamed out. "FUCK YOU!"

"Stiles, once you realize that what I'm doing is to help teach you how you're wrong, you'll be more able to accept the truth… which is that as humans, we belong in control over them," she replied. "But before you can accept the truth, you have to accept that what I tell you _is _your truth. And right now, what I'm telling you is that two plus two is five. So I'll ask you again… what is two plus two?"

Stiles could feel anger rising within himself. He felt the temptation to use his bullet on Kate. She certainly deserved it, he thought. Instead, he steeled himself for her reaction to his answer. "It's four, you sanctimonious cunt!" The prod made another, lengthier contact with his skin. He jerked violently in reaction to the agony.

"What is two plus two, Stiles?"

"Four." Another contact. More pain.

"What is two plus two?"

"Four." Stiles felt nauseous and his muscles began to twitch as more electricity was pumped through his body.

"What is two plus two?"

Stiles wanted to keep this up, but he knew he couldn't. He'd never be freed from this room and from her torture until he played her game. He resolved to make her think he was a miraculous case of conversion. "Five."

"Now was that so hard?" she asked. Stiles shook his head. "What are werewolves?"

"Supernatural creatures that change from—" Stiles couldn't finish his sentence before pain halted him.

"What are werewolves?" she repeated.

"Half human, half—" More pain halted him. He couldn't figure out what answer she was getting at.

"They're not human, Stiles. They're not like us," Kate said. "What are they?"

"They're monsters," Stiles said, hoping that was the answer she wanted. Unfortunately it wasn't. More electricity raced across his skin, making him scream. She held it in place. Stiles kicked violently trying to get away from it, but she held it firmly against his skin. He began shouting out things, hoping that he'd say the thing she wanted to hear. "Evil… Brutish… Violent… Wicked… Cruel… Enemies…"

At the last word, she removed the prod. Stiles finally felt he could breathe. She hit a button and the chains that suspended him from the ceiling lowered, allowing him to collapse to the floor. Chris walked in. "What are you doing to him?" he asked.

"My methods produce results," she replied dismissively as she brought Stiles some water.

"Gerard was very clear: he is to remain alive!" Chris argued.

"Use your eyes, Chris! He is!"

"Barely," Chris muttered, releasing the manacles that had dug into Stiles' wrists, leaving them bloody and sore.

Stiles played helpless, but observed the two closely. "The correct answer was 'enemy' wasn't it?" he asked, feigning weakness.

"Yes," Kate replied. "Werewolves are the enemy. They will trick you into thinking they might be human or that they're your friend… even your lover. But they're not. They're the enemy and they will kill you the moment they get the chance. They're incapable of human emotions because they're _not human_."

"The lesson is over!" Chris said, finality seeping through his tone. "He needs a medic."

"Then by all means, big brother… get him one," Kate said as she walked out. "It's your turn to oversee his training anyway."

Stiles shook his head. "I can't do any more… I'm exhausted…"

"It's alright," Chris replied. "We can start later. How are your wrists?"

"I've had worse injuries with less access to medicines," Stiles told him. Instantly he was able to see what would end up being the major downfall for his captors. Gerard was too blinded by his mission, and Kate shared that flaw. Chris actually cared… and for that reason, he had a weakness that Stiles could exploit. Kate's goal had been to make Stiles question his values and his relationship with Derek. That's exactly what he planned to do to Chris, only he was going to do it a bit differently.

"My sister can be a little fanatical," Chris said. "I'm sure she hasn't even told you our code… _Nous chassons ceux qui nous chassent._ We hunt those who hunt us. Our job as hunters is to ensure that werewolves and other supernatural creatures do not take over humans… we're humanity's last defense. Try thinking of your new role as a Hunter in that way."

"Can I ask one favor?" Stiles asked.

"Certainly… I can't promise we will honor it," Chris replied honestly.

"Once I'm a fully-fledged member of the Guard… I want to be the one who kills Aaron," Stiles said.

"Who is Aaron?"

"He's the Alpha that your sister had rape me and steal some of my memories… and I want those memories back, by the way…" Stiles replied.

"There's no way to return the memories to you," Chris replied. "But we can certainly help you in the other regard. Now let's get you fed. You need some sleep as well. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day."

Chris led Stiles to a large room that was simply decorated. The color scheme screamed masculinity. The bedside table held a photo of Chris and the young woman he'd seen before. He noticed Stiles' interest in the photo. "That's my daughter, Allison."

"She's beautiful," Stiles replied. "But why am I here?"

"I figured you would prefer to sleep in a real bed. The Guardsmen get cots no more comfortable than the ones you've had. I don't mind sharing my room with you," Chris explained. A knock on the door interrupted. "That must be the food." Stiles prepared himself for another bowl of the thick, lumpy gruel. When a tray filled with delicious, hot, flavorful foods was placed in front him, he scarcely knew what to do with it. He stared at it for a moment, unsure if it was actually for him. Chris had already begun to consume his dinner and watched Stiles with mild amusement. "It isn't going to eat itself, Stiles…"

Stiles shook himself out of his reverie. "I'm sorry… I've just been living on scraps and that muck served to prisoners… I haven't had real food in a very long time."

"Your training with me is going to be physically demanding. You'll need your strength. Eat up," Chris encouraged.

Stiles dug in. There was roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, corn with butter, steamed vegetables. It was a symphony of flavors so vibrant that it took Stiles by surprise at first, having lived on bland food for so long. He stuffed himself full, not taking the time to savor any of the flavors, only happy that he had any flavors there at all.

Chris laughed. "I know I told you to eat up… but you might want to slow down…"

"It's just so good!" Stiles exclaimed with a full mouth.

"Get used to it. This is how Hunters eat," Chris told him.

When he was finally full, he pushed the tray away from him. He'd gone from famished to unable to even think about food. Chris disappeared for a few minutes before returning with a jar of cream, tossing it casually to Stiles. "What's this?" he asked, looking skeptically at the thick goo.

"It's for your wrists," Chris replied. "Put it on after your shower. I'll go first… then you can go."

Stiles knew this was the time to make the first move. Even if there was nothing that came of it, he'd be able to implant the idea. His goal was to foster a blind-spot in Chris that he could easily pass through in order to escape the Panopticon and free those he loved.

* * *

**Derek**

Derek made a point to keep an eye on the members of the Alpha pack. He already warned his betas not to trust them. They had traveled several miles when a loud explosion caught their attention. As they turned back around, they saw the area where the Alpha Pack's lair had been erupt in fire and rubble. "What the hell was that?" Deucalion asked.

"That was our home going up in flames..." Peter said.

"That was the work of the Guild… but how would the Guardsmen know where we were?" Ennis added.

The realization hit Derek at the exact same time as the other Alphas. "Stiles."

"Why Stiles?" Isaac asked.

"He's the only one who has ever sought us out and been permitted to leave," Peter replied. "I knew we should have killed him."

Derek snarled angrily at the comment.

"At the very least we should have moved!" Peter conceded.

"It appears that now we'll have to," Deucalion said. "We'll move right into the Guild's headquarters."

"But why did Stiles go visit you?" Isaac asked, pressing the issue.

"He wanted us to turn him," one of the twins replied proudly. "But instead, we fucked him until he couldn't walk… he took every single one of our knots… and including our combined form."

"That's a fucking lie!" Derek roared.

"I'm afraid it's not, dear nephew," Peter said.

"Stiles told me I was his first," Derek said, his voice dangerously low. "He wouldn't lie to me about that. He has _only_ been with me!"

"He took my knot six times," Deucalion replied. "Your mate lied to you, Derek."

Derek couldn't listen to any more attempts to impugn his Mate's honor. "I'm not listening to any more of your lies!" he said stubbornly. "We're not discussing this any further!"

Deucalion laughed. "That's the problem with being around Alphas all the time… everyone thinks they're in charge…"

* * *

**Chris**

Inhaling deeply, Chris allowed the warm water to wash away a day's worth of stress. He knew he shouldn't have challenged Kate's authority in front of the new recruit, especially considering the amount of reprogramming that he would require given his past. Yet he couldn't help but feel sorry for the young boy. He was the same age as Allison. He'd spent the best years of his youth fighting in a war he never chose to enter. In this regard, Chris saw much of himself in the sad, cold eyes. When Chris looked at Stiles he saw so much anger, regret, and pain. He had every right to be, Chris reasoned.

He felt a cold draft as the shower door opened and saw Stiles joining him. "Stiles what are you doing?" Chris asked. Stiles didn't respond immediately. He simply began soaping his body. Chris repeated his question more firmly. "Why are you in here?"

Stiles gave a shrug. "I caught a glimpse and I liked what I saw."

"This is inappropriate," Chris replied. "I'm your trainer. You need to leave."

"You're the first person who has given a shit about me since the Guardsmen abducted me and my father. I've been beaten, tortured, starved, some of my memories have been stolen, and I've been raped. I have nothing else to give to you in repayment… so let me do this," Stiles said.

"It isn't right," Chris said. "I'm your mentor… your teacher… not your fuckbuddy."

Stiles moved closer to him, his eyes pleaded in a way that shook Chris' resolve to its core. "I've only ever been with werewolves. I can't be with them anymore… and you're the first human I've ever felt a connection to… so be my teacher and my mentor. Teach me how to love someone _normal_. Someone human…" Stiles gingerly rested his palm against Chris' chest, leaning up and allowing his lips to brush the Hunter's.

Chris pushed Stiles back and tried to emphasize, "Stiles… no."

"How long has it been?" Stiles asked.

Chris thought for a few moments. He hadn't been with anyone else since Victoria, his wife, died. He felt a tightening of his chest as he thought about it. Even though it had been about eight years, sometimes it felt like only a few days. "A while," he replied simply.

Stiles once again closed the distance between them and wrapped his hand around Chris' cock, stroking it into life. Chris steadied himself against the wall. It had been so long since anyone had touched him. Despite the fact that he knew this was wrong, it felt too good for him to fight it. Stiles began to lick and nibble on Chris' nipples before dropping to his knees and taking his mentor expertly into his mouth. Chris moaned his words of encouragement as his hand guided Stiles further onto his length. He was impressed that the younger man was able to take all of him.

After a few minutes of fucking Stiles' face, he pulled him back to his feet and kissed him, passion taking over in reason's stead. "How was that?" Stiles asked as the kiss broke.

"It was amazing… but now I want to fuck you," Chris replied, turning off the water. He grabbed the towel and quickly raked it across his skin. They kept kissing as the two of them toweled off and Chris forced Stiles out of the shower and into the bedroom where he pushed the younger man face first onto the bed.

Chris greedily buried his face in Stiles' ass, holding apart the firm, muscular globes of his ass as he traced the pink ring with the tip of his tongue. Stiles moaned, never having felt a pleasure like this before. Chris took the moans as an invitation to continue, flattening his tongue and striking it broadly against Stiles' opening. He could hear rustling, which he interpreted as Stiles clutching the blanket. After several minutes of teasing, Chris pushed a finger into Stiles, feeling the velvet grip as Stiles moaned ever louder. It took all the self-control he was capable of to not immediately shove his cock into the tight hole. Instead, he played a little further. He added another finger, pulling the hole open before getting his tongue into Stiles.

He continued his quest to pleasure Stiles and prepare him for their activities, understanding that he might be a little sore from his time with the Alpha. When he couldn't contain himself anymore, Chris grabbed some of the lube that had only ever been used on himself and liberally coated his cock, sticking two lubed fingers into Stiles. "Are you ready?" he asked, removing his fingers, wiping them on the towel and tossing it to the side.

"Yeah…" Stiles moaned. "Fuck me… please…"

* * *

**Derek**

Cold winds blew through the area, causing the campfire to dance. He stayed awake, keeping watch over his betas, unable to trust them with the murderous Alphas that now surrounded them. He regretted turning the three of them, though he couldn't say that he regretted the power or sense of family he felt from having a Pack again. It was almost enough to keep him from obsessing over the fact that Stiles was no longer there.

Eventually, Isaac stirred. Lifting his head from the ground, he saw Derek's vigil from a short distance from where they all slept. Isaac quietly got up and joined Derek. "You need to get some sleep."

"I won't leave you unprotected," Derek replied, keeping his eyes trained on Boyd and Erica who slept with their bodies nestled against one another. "I let you go off on your own once… I can't risk your life again… any of you. I'm responsible for your safety now."

"This is quite a change from the Derek I knew before," Isaac admitted. "It's nice to see you finally being an Alpha. But you'll be no use to us if you're exhausted."

"I'll be fine, Isaac," Derek said, continuing to stare ahead. "I won't be able to sleep anyway."

"Why not?"

"All day long, I could feel him being tortured. Now I can feel him being fucked," Derek said. "He spent all weekend getting fucked and knotted. He was afraid and angry… and I can feel all of it."

"Scott has been worried a lot lately, too," Isaac told him. "But we're going to free them. We'll nurse their wounds and we'll make sure that no Guardsman ever gets close enough to the ones we love to take them from us again."

"I want to know the person who is fucking him right now… because I will personally rip out his throat," Derek growled.

"Then go to sleep," Isaac urged. "Dream of the vengeance you'll get on the people who hurt your Mate. I'll keep watch and I'll wake you if any of the other Alphas start trouble."

"I missed you, Isaac," Derek said softly.

"I missed you too, Derek."

Derek smiled as he walked back toward the camp, choosing a that put him between the other Alphas and his betas. It was a testament to how tired he truly was that the moment his head was on the hard ground, he was asleep.

* * *

**Chris & Stiles**

Sweaty bodies moved along one another as Chris thrust powerfully into Stiles, who loudly begged for more. Chris pulled out of him and flipped him onto his back, putting his legs up into the air and re-entering the slick, tight hole. He craned his neck to kiss the young man beneath him, knowing he was getting close to orgasm. He was surprised he'd lasted so long considering how long it had been for him.

Stiles forced himself to continue begging for Chris to fuck him. In reality, he could feel his gut twisting into knots as he betrayed Derek. He hated every moment of this, but he knew that by convincing Chris to love him, he'd be able to escape with Derek sooner. He just wished the price wasn't so high.

"I'm gonna cum," Chris grunted as his pace became ragged. He thrust his cock all the way into Stiles and fired rope after rope of hot semen into the younger man. He thrust a few more times before pulling out and collapsing onto the bed next to him.

"Why aren't you still inside me?" Stiles asked, genuinely confused.

Chris, too, was confused for a few moments before realizing that Stiles had always experienced werewolf knotting. "Humans don't imprison their lovers after sex. It's enough to feel your lover's semen inside you… you don't need to be stuck on his cock. Humans lie next to one another and kiss or sleep."

"I'm tired… can we sleep?" Stiles asked.

"Certainly," Chris replied, moving into a close position next to him. Stiles rolled onto his side. Chris's cock nestled against his skin, the last remnants of their act smearing itself onto their skin. "Sleep well, Stiles."

"You too, Chris," Stiles replied.

Though Chris pretended not to, he heard Stiles cry himself to sleep. He assumed that perhaps he had been a bit too rough on the young man after everything he'd been through. In reality, Stiles wept from self-hatred. He felt Chris' cum inside him and knew he'd smell like Chris when he was finally in Derek's arms again. He only hoped that Derek could forgive him, and that wherever he was in the building, he hadn't heard Stiles' fake screams of pleasure and thought them to be real.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I simply couldn't stop writing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter... and the consensual sexy times that occurred, even if it wasn't between Stiles and Derek... which it will eventually be again. But question... if Derek is with the Alphas en route to save Stiles... who was that he saw while in the torture chamber? This question and others will be answered in future chapters. Please comment... it fuels my muse!


	6. Factions

**Chris & Stiles**

The next morning, Stiles woke up after Chris. He couldn't remember the last time he slept so soundly. The bed they had shared was more than comfortable, and even though it wasn't Derek, he enjoyed the fact that there was a strong protective arm that had been wrapped around him while he slept.

Chris was nowhere to be seen as Stiles explored the room, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Slight motion from his wrist brought pain and Stiles looked down to see that they were still very much cut up from the manacles used to suspend him during Kate's torture session the day before. Seducing Chris meant that he forgot to use the medicine procured for him. Stiles slowly opened the jar, sticking a finger into the goo and began to gingerly rub it on the sensitive skin. He felt an almost immediate relief of the pain and gave an audible sigh.

Stiles began pulling on his Guardsman uniform. Despite the fact that it was supposed to be designed to be physically liberating, it felt very suffocating. The fact that he had spent a good amount of time naked recently in Kate and Gerard's attempt to humiliate him aside, the clothes he had worn before were _his_. They were the ones he felt comfortable in. He had gotten dirty, bloody. These clothes were stiff and foreign.

Just as he was lacing up the boots, Chris came in carrying another tray of food. He sat it on the bed next to Stiles. "Eat up," he encouraged. "Today is going to be hard."

"Thanks," Stiles mumbled as he dug into hot eggs, bacon, toast, and cereal. He washed it down with what tasted like freshly squeezed orange juice. It angered him how the Argents ate like royalty when everyone else was simply lucky to have something to fill their stomachs.

Chris sat beside Stiles as he quickly consumed his breakfast. "I'm sorry if I hurt you last night," he said softly. "Also for being kind of a selfish lover."

"What?" Stiles asked.

Chris paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to explain to Stiles the reason for his statement. In the end, he needed Stiles to trust him for the training to go smoothly, so he decided to use the policy of honesty. "I heard you crying last night. I know I got a little carried away… and I came but completely forgot about you."

"It's alright," Stiles said dismissively.

"No," Chris challenged. "It isn't. You asked me to teach you how to love and make love like a human… and I ended up just fucking you like an animal would… or a werewolf."

* * *

"_I hate all of these Guardsmen around," Stiles muttered grumpily as he and Derek walked through town. "Beacon Hills used to be a nice place to live… and now it's like we're living under martial law or something."_

"_Stiles…. The Guild took control of the country. We_ are_ living under martial law. We're repeating history," Derek replied. "But we'll be alright. Let's just get our groceries and get home."_

"_You're going to have to find something to do while I'm shopping that doesn't make you look suspicious," Stiles told him._

"_Why?" Derek asked._

"_Dad told me that they've protected the entrance to all major buildings with Mountain Ash. It's the easiest way to weed out those who the Guild wants rounded up," Stiles explained._

"_Of course..." Derek growled. Stiles shared Derek's anger. It pissed him off that Derek's existence was outlawed. It pissed him off that his best friend's existence was outlawed. He felt guilty for being human and therefore exempt from this persecution. He had requested that Derek turn him, but Derek refused, wanting him to have a better chance of survival if they ever got caught._

_A guardsman brushed against him, leading Stiles to instinctively reach for his guns. Stiles felt Derek's hand rush to his, stopping it. "Sorry," he whispered, shaking his head._

_When they were finally near the grocery store, they agreed to meet back up in a half an hour. Stiles felt a pang of worry as he easily crossed the threshold._

* * *

**Derek**

Derek was the last of the group to wake. It wasn't surprising considering the little sleep he had gotten lately. As his eyes fluttered open, one of the twins scoffed. "Finally, Your Highness."

Derek's Betas growled at him, but Derek rose to his feet, his eyes glowing red and silenced them. "I apologize that I've not been lucky enough to live so remotely from society. I've been out here fighting to stay alive, watching everyone I love get taken by the Guard. You'd be exhausted too if you didn't have a constant, safe place to sleep at night," Derek replied. Peter smirked as Deucalion announced that they could now start their trek for the day.

"I think we will be able reach the Panopticon in two weeks," he announced to the group.

"Stiles and Scott could be dead by then!" Isaac argued.

Deucalion merely laughed the Beta's concerns away. "If you think that I'm doing this for Scott or Stiles, then you are sorely mistaken."

"Then why _are_ you doing it?" Derek asked.

"I have my reasons and once they become your concern, you'll know," Deucalion replied.

* * *

**Stiles**

As Chris led Stiles to a training area of the Panopticon, Stiles struggled to memorize the path in his attempt to create a mental map of the facility. He had no idea whether or not he was above or below-ground, or even what level of the complex he was in. Yet as the doors opened, the training facility took his breath away in terms of its sophistication.

Guardsmen trained using all sorts of weaponry against holographic projections of werewolves. "We need to train you in the art of fighting. It is a Hunter's first obligation to be able to quickly disarm an opponent, namely a werewolf… but there are other creatures that you might come across."

"I already know how to fight," Stiles replied.

"You know how to fight humans," Chris pointed out.

"But I was trained by two werewolves," Stiles challenged. "I know how to take down a werewolf because I know how to fight like one."

"Good point," Chris said. "Show me what you know."

"I need my weapons. They're the ones I've trained with… they're the ones that feel most natural," Stiles said.

"Guardsman Ames," Chris called to another trainee who quickly stopped what he was doing to answer Chris.

"Yes sir," Ames replied.

"Go get Guardsman Stilinski's weapons from the vault. Make it fast," he ordered.

The moment Ames was gone, Stiles looked incredulously at Chris. "Really, just like that you're going to trust me enough to return my weapons?"

Chris raised an eyebrow. "Do I have a reason not to?"

Stiles shook his head. "No… I want to become a Hunter… but I've only just begun training…"

"After everything my sister did to you, you had every right to try and exact revenge on me while I slept… especially after how brutishly I treated you last night, but you didn't. You kissed me as we made love."

Stiles felt oddly insulted by Chris' reasoning. "I'm not just some feral human. I'm a soldier. You're now my commanding officer. Of course I wouldn't kill you in your sleep."

"I didn't mean to imply that you were," Chris clarified. "I meant only that you showed me loyalty, which I will repay with trust."

Ames returned with Stiles' dagger and guns. One of them had a fresh magazine, the other was empty except for Gerard's bullets. He relished the feeling of the cold metal in his hands. Stiles approached the training area. "I'm ready," he said.

"They will start off as pretty easy Omegas and work their way up to powerful Alphas. They're all bio-mimicked from prisoners we have currently captivity," Chris explained. "The moment you are bested, the simulation will end."

Stiles nodded to signal his understanding. "Bring it on." A female werewolf with glowing blue eyes appeared in front of him. Nearly immediately, she swiped her claws in Stiles' direction. He ducked the swipe, moving quickly behind her, slashing her hamstrings with his dagger. She roared in pain as she fell forward, waiting for her legs to heal as he pressed his gun to her head and pulled the trigger. Instantly the hologram faded.

A new werewolf appeared. This one looked older than the female had been and was an even larger build than Derek. He had bright yellow eyes and his first move was to sweep Stiles' feet out from under him. Stiles hit the ground with a loud painful thud. He barely had time to roll out of the way as a powerful fist smashed into the ground where his head had been moments prior.

Stiles was thankful that his body was strong, yet nimble as he quickly moved through the Beta's feet. The werewolf turned around and charged him. Stiles managed to slash the wolf's throat before sliding back through his legs and jumping back to his feet. He fired two shots, hitting the creature through each eye. It disappeared, replaced by another male werewolf with a build much more like Stiles'.

Stiles found this werewolf to be the toughest of them yet. He was an Alpha with fearsome red eyes and acrobatic skills that belonged in Olympic competition. The Alpha flipped over Stiles, scratching the human's face. Stiles' hand instinctively went to his cheek.

He had barely registered blood when the Alpha came at him again. Stiles struggled to dodge attacks. This Alpha's fighting style was too similar to his own. He couldn't adapt fast enough. He needed to disorient the Alpha but couldn't figure out how. Finally, he realized the best way to do it. The moment the Alpha was close enough, Stiles fired a shot right near his ear. He didn't want to kill the Alpha just yet. This one had drawn his blood, and therefore his ire. The Alpha stumbled, holding a hand to his ears.

Stiles ducked behind him, kicking him in the back and slashing muscles critical to his ability to fight back. He put his knee in the Alpha's back and reached forward, grabbing his head. With one powerful jerk, he was able to snap the Alpha's neck. The Alpha disappeared and Stiles barely had enough time to rest before he turned around. However what he saw was nothing he was prepared for. He dropped the gun and knife, unable to think of a way he could fight the opponent he was now faced with. A roar issued from the Alpha as he braced himself, causing Stiles to start shaking. "Scott?"

* * *

**Derek**

Isaac was the first to notice the change. "Derek, what's wrong?"

"It's Stiles," Derek replied. His gaze was unfocused. He struggled to see through his Mate's eyes. "He's being attacked. He's afraid." Derek's head jerked as he felt claws race across his Mate's skin.

"What are they doing to him?" Isaac asked.

"They're training him," Boyd replied.

By this point, everyone was circled around Derek and Isaac. "What do you mean?" Peter asked.

"He's a human who knows how to fight. He's spent time living with werewolves. He's probably the biggest asset they've ever gotten. When they were torturing him, they were breaking him. Now they're rebuilding and training him to use his skills for them," Boyd explained.

Erica spoke up next. "Derek… we need to get there soon."

"Don't you think I know that!" Derek snapped.

"No," Erica replied. "I'm serious. They're good at what they do… if we don't get to him soon, we might not have much of him to save. I have seen first-hand how they do it. I couldn't stomach it. That's why I ended up on Patrol."

"Stiles has a Mate. He has a stronger bond to his loyalty to werewolves," Aiden pointed out.

"Stiles has been separated from his Mate for a while now. That might not even be enough," Deucalion said.

Derek felt a surge of panic well up in him. He knew it was coming from Stiles. He wasn't paying much attention to the werewolves around him. "My connection to him has felt stronger since he was taken. There are times when I can concentrate and I can see what he's seeing."

"That's good," Peter said. "That means he's holding onto you."

"And when the Guild realizes what he's doing, they'll find some way to destroy that. Once they destroy his bond to Derek, they will have him in their control," Erica replied.

Derek shook his head. "I don't think so. He's up to something. I just wish I could figure out what."

"Is there a way we could get there faster?"

"We could try to find a patrol with a Humvee and steal it… but that's a longshot," Boyd said.

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that your pack and the five most powerful Alphas in the world stand no chance against a small patrol?"

"No," Boyd said. "I mean that finding a Humvee in these parts is a longshot. The wolves in this area have been exterminated or captured. There's no reason for there to be any patrols here."

"Then we need to stop talking and pick up the pace," Derek ordered.

* * *

**Stiles**

"He's a werewolf, Stiles," Chris said. "Just like any other."

"He and I grew up like brothers," Stiles replied. "I can't kill him. He was bitten. He is a True Alpha. Based on the Code, there's no reason why he'd need to be hunted. He never asked for any of this."

"Which is why he's in a cell and not in a grave," Chris said. "Stiles, that was just a projection. It wasn't really him."

"But of all the Alphas that are being held here… why did he get selected?" Stiles asked. "And don't lie to me. I know it wasn't random."

Chris shifted uncomfortably. "Gerard, most likely. He probably wanted to see how you would react."

Stiles was furious. He needed to show Gerard he was not a pawn to be played with at will. "Bring back the hologram of Scott," Stiles demanded. The other Guardsmen who had been training were now all watching him.

Chris did what Stiles asked. The hologram version of Scott reappeared. Stiles drew his gun, aiming it at him. "Stiles don't…" the hologram begged. "We're brothers. Please… this isn't you. You wouldn't fight for them." The fact that they programmed it to do that further enraged Stiles. He drew on that rage to give him strength to pull the trigger. He made only one lethal shot before turning around

"Let Gerard and Kate know that psychological warfare is no longer an option. I've agreed to be become your soldier and fight for the Hunters because it gives me a chance to kill and to be quite honest, I've learned to enjoy doing that," Stiles approached Chris, drawing his knife and pressing it to his mentor's throat. "And if I ever find out that _you_ were the reason Scott appeared like that, the next time you want your cock in my mouth, I'll bite it off."

Chris stared into Stiles' eyes. "It wasn't me. I promise. I agree with you… that was just sick."

Stiles retracted the dagger, sliding it into his sheath. "Training is over," he announced as he walked back to Chris' room.

Chris followed him. "You were wrong, you know…"

"About what?" Stiles asked, still too angry to turn around and look at him.

"You're not a soldier," Chris said. "You're a mercenary."

"Semantics," said Stiles dismissively.

"A mercenary's master can change," Chris continued. "Gerard won't like that."

"I don't give a fuck what Gerard likes," Stiles growled.

"Gerard doesn't have to because I do," Chris said. "There are factions forming within the Guild. There are those of us who think that Gerard and Kate have corrupted the Guild from our real mission… who don't agree with what has happened. Let me teach you what you need to know then together, we can return the Guild to what it is _supposed_ to be… a force of protection rather than oppression."

Stiles turned around, finally facing Chris again. "Are you trying to say you want to be my Master?"

Chris thought for a moment. "In a way yes… But maybe this can be bigger than all of it. There's something between us."

"I thought you said you were my mentor… my teacher," Stiles replied. "Besides… I'm barely 20… you're…. you're the same age as my dad."

"That didn't stop you last night," Chris pointed out.

"And it probably won't stop me tonight either," Stiles said honestly. "But you sex and relationships are different things entirely. Everyone I knew and loved were ripped away from me. I'll have sex with you as often as you want, Chris. But if you want feelings to grow from it, you're going to have to give me a little more time than just one night together… and I'm going to need to trust you. That's not going to happen just because you gave me a pretty decent fuck."

"I'd say it was more than just 'pretty decent'," Chris growled defensively as they continued toward his room.

"How many guys have you had sex with?" Stiles asked.

"Just you," Chris admitted. "I was married to Allison's mom for a very long time. She was my first."

"Then what made you suddenly decide you wanted me?"

Chris didn't answer at first. It wasn't until they were finally back in his room that Chris pressed Stiles tightly against the wall and kissed him deeply, in a way he hadn't kissed since Derek. When Chris' mouth was no longer occupied by Stiles', he said, "It seemed like we carried some of the same kinds of pain."

* * *

_Stiles did his best to make his shopping trip as fast as possible. He didn't want to leave Derek alone for long. He grabbed only the necessary items, figuring his father could get anything else they might need. It was safer for him to do that anyways, considering his position within the local government._

_Stiles quickly paid and walked out to the area where he agreed to meet Derek. "Get anything good for me?" the familiar sexy voice asked from behind him._

"_I wasn't sure if you'd prefer kibbles or bits… It was hard to make the executive call on that one," Stiles joked. _

_Derek growled and nipped at Stiles' ears, causing Stiles to giggle. "Stop…"_

_A sudden commotion jerked them away from their moment of affection. A man came running through the crowd, knocking people over, causing them to scream out. The man came up to Stiles, putting a gun in his face. "You're Stilinski's son, aren't you?"_

_Derek growled protectively, his eyes glowing red. He tried to put himself between Stiles and his assailant, but the man was too quick. His arm was around Stiles' neck and the gun was pressed against his head. "Please don't hurt me," Stiles whimpered. Never before had he been in danger like this._

"_Let him go and I won't kill you," Derek growled. "But if you harm him in any way, you will beg for death and I won't be merciful enough to grant it."_

"_Big words from such a sad dog," the man replied. "But you know what, I don't have anything left to lose. His father was supposed to protect the people of this city. Not just the humans… and now my wife has been taken by the Hunters Guardsmen."_

"_I'm really sorry about that," Derek said. "But killing hurting my Mate will solve nothing."_

_The man laughed. Derek could tell that he had literally gone insane from his grief. "Yes… because maybe if the Captain loses someone he loves, he'll be more inclined to act."_

_Derek shifted and released a powerful roar. The entire square stopped to stare. Blood drained from Stiles' face. There were Guardsmen in the area. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled the gun his father had given him. He knew how to shoot it, but he'd only ever shot at practice targets. However now, he needed to act. Despite the way it looked, Derek was actually in the most danger now. Stiles moved slow enough that his captor wouldn't detect it. When he finally got it in position, he fired one shot. The man staggered back, then fell to the ground. Stiles turned around, seeing that the man was going to die. The shot was powerful. The weight of what he'd done was sinking slowly in, but Derek knew they needed to move._

"_We have to go," he called, grabbing Stiles' arm. They ran._

* * *

**Author's Note:** Thanks for reading! Now you know a little more of Stiles' and Derek's backstory. And given what Erica said... can Chris' motives be trusted? After all, Stiles never broke from Kate's methods... perhaps the guild is using another method. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter or others... as well as any feedback! I always welcome constructive criticism. You can also follow me on Tumblr where my url is "forevermyalpha"


	7. Misery Found Company

**Stiles**

His muscles hurt from strain. He was tired and had been fighting against projections of werewolves the entire day. When the final Alpha faded away, Stiles collapsed from exhaustion. It was his sixth day in a row of doing this. "You're ready," Chris said.

"It's about fucking time," Stiles growled.

Chris handed him a bottle of water, which Stiles greedily drank. "I think tomorrow you can get what you want."

There was so much that Stiles wanted that he wasn't sure what Chris was referring to. "What do you mean?"

Chris leaned down, pulling Stiles to his feet before kissing him deeply. When the kiss broke, Chris whispered into Stiles' ear, "Your revenge…"

He knew that Chris had no way of knowing that his sights were also set on Gerard and Kate so he assumed that he'd be able to kill Aaron. They slowly walked back to Chris' room. Stiles began stripping off his clothes and headed straight into the shower. The hot spray was heavenly on his aching body. Though his eyes were closed, he knew immediately when he was no longer the only occupant in the shower.

"And I was so hoping to be able to make love to you while you were still sweaty," Chris murmured.

"Chris… I'm tired. I've been fighting every day for a week…" Stiles complained. He didn't fight back, still needing Chris to think he was in love. He was simply tired of his many betrayals to the man he really loved and if Chris was giving him the opportunity to exact his revenge on Aaron, he'd be able to roam the Panopticon of his own will and could find Derek, spring Scott and his father and try to forget that this had ever happened.

Despite Chris's attempts, Stiles managed to avoid having sex; though in reality he only delayed it by using exhaustion as an excuse. That didn't stop Chris from pulling Stiles' naked body close to his as they fell asleep.

_Stiles patrolled the corridors. He was one step away finally a member of the Hunter's Guard and was doing his best to find Derek. He hadn't seen him recently and was beginning to worry. He knew that if Derek had been caught, he'd likely be the first to know about it, which gave him hope that Derek was still somewhere inside the building._

_As he rounded the corner, he was surprised to see Chris. "Gerard is looking for you. It's urgent," Chris said solemnly. There was no mistaking the concern that clouded the blue eyes._

_The two of them walked together to the inner sanctum of the Panopticon. Chris had his arm around Stiles, as though he were trying to comfort him._

_Oxygen seemed to evade his lungs as he beheld the sight of his Mate, suspended from the ceiling with a current being applied to his skin. "Look what I found," Kate cackled as Stiles felt his heart beginning to race._

"_Were you hiding someone in the hopes I wouldn't find out?" Gerard asked._

"_He's been with me," Chris asserted. "He couldn't be hiding anyone. I would know about it."_

"_You two have become too close. How do we know you're not just covering for him?" Kate asked._

_Chris shrugged. "Yeah… we're in love… but we're still Hunters first."_

"_Except this particular Alpha has a history with your little lover," Gerard mused._

_Stiles could feel the world spinning around him as he saw the look of pain on Derek's face. Derek wasn't hurt by the electricity running over his skin. His face had remained stoic the entire time that happened. Stiles saw the change occur the moment Chris admitted to the relationship they had. It was his worst fear realized… Derek was finding out about Stiles' betrayal in a way that Stiles couldn't even defend._

"_Is this true?" Chris asked._

_Stiles nodded, his eyes not leaving the sight of Derek's body. "I'm sorry, Derek…"_

"_In that case," Gerard said. "You will be the one who disposes of this beast."_

"_No!" Stiles cried out. "Derek has done nothing wrong. Let him go or you'll be breaking the Code!"_

* * *

**Derek**

They were close. Deucalion guessed no more than a few days. They made camp and prepared dinner. "What is our plan of attack?" Aiden asked.

"Boyd and Erica will get us in and then we will make them pay," Peter said.

"How nice of you to put _my_ Betas in danger," Derek growled. "My Mate is already in danger… they've been running him ragged all week long. Why not sacrifice people _you_ care about?"

Deucalion and Peter exchanged sly glances. "He already has," Deucalion chuckled. "The other option is you kill your Betas and take their power…"

Derek snarled. "I told you that I'm not going to do that. There are some Alphas with a sense of honor and decency."

"I guess we shall agree to disagree," Deucalion said.

Derek brought good from the campfire over to his betas. "You're not intending on killing us, are you, Derek?" Erica asked.

"No," Derek replied. "And I will do what it takes to protect you three. Especially from them."

"What if they make you choose between us and Stiles?" Isaac asked cautiously.

"I'll find a way to save you all," Derek said softly, but his Betas were unconvinced. They didn't say it out loud, but they all seemed to be in agreement that in a choice between them and Stiles, they wouldn't be chosen. Derek picked up on that. "We're a Pack," he said. "Our strength comes from how we act as a cohesive unit… and we need to trust one another. Trust me. I won't abandon you."

Isaac shifted uncomfortably. "Derek, I know that you've changed since we travelled together before… but I know how much you love Stiles. I know that my life doesn't hold as much weight in your eyes as his does."

"I made you all a promise. I won't go back on it," Derek said defensively. "Now I need you to just trust that."

They finished their dinner in awkward silence. Boyd volunteered to take first watch and Derek positioned himself between his betas and the Alphas.

It wasn't long until he was out.

_The halls of the Panopticon smelled like Stiles. He knew he needed to be careful, but he could feel his Mate close by. There was something strange about Stiles' scent. It was corrupted somehow, but Derek knew he was at least still alive._

_He cautiously made his way down corridor after corridor, following Stiles' scent. The scent got stronger until he felt a powerful blow to the back of his head, followed by a powerful burst of electricity, leaving him incapacitated._

_When he came to, a familiar face was smiling at him. "Hey there, cutie… I thought you'd never wake up."_

_Fingers danced up his chest. He tried to push them away, but his hands were tied above his head. "Let me go, Kate."_

"_After all this time… no warm reunion for me?" she grinned._

"_Fuck you, you psychotic bitch!" he growled. He'd never forgive her for what she did to his family. _

_An old man joined him. "Is it really him?" he asked._

_Kate nodded. "Yes… the elusive Derek Hale. He was a beautiful blue-eyed Beta last time we met… Looks like he's done a little growing… In more ways than one."_

_The old man turned and ordered another Guardsman to fetch Chris and Stiles. It didn't take long for a new man, slightly older than Kate with strong, piercing blue eyes and a young man whose sight brought Derek more relief than he could describe. He didn't care about the electricity coursing through his body. "Look what I found," Kate said as she beamed at Stiles and the other man._

* * *

**Stiles**

Stiles' movements became violent, waking Chris up. Chris did his best to shake the younger man awake, but nothing helped. All he could hear was a steady stream of "No… please don't…" coming from his mouth.

_Gerard tossed the sword to Stiles' feet. "Show me that you're one of us, for good. Kill this abomination and earn your place among our ranks."_

"_He hasn't committed any crimes. By virtue of the Code, I can't," Stiles said refusing._

_Gerard moved closer. "Do it."_

"_No. Please… don't make me do this."_

"_If you're truly one of us, you'll do it, Stiles. Execute him," Kate urged._

"_I can't."_

_Gerard slowly approached and picked up the broadsword. "I knew you'd never truly commit to our way of life. The mongrel had already corrupted you too much. I should have known better than to try and rehabilitate you. I should have executed you when I first caught you." Gerard reared back and swung the sword._

"_NO!" Stiles screamed over and over as he watched Derek's body separate, his internal organs falling to the floor in a bloody mess. Gerard waited just long enough for it to sink into Stiles what he'd just seen before plunging the bloody sword into the young man's abdomen._

_Stiles shook violently. "I deserve this…" he whispered as he fell to his knees, blood streaming from his mouth._

_It was Chris' turn to sob as he removed the sword and placed his hand on the wounds, trying to apply pressure. "What have you done?" he asked his father._

"_I want to die," Stiles told him. "Please… let me die…"_

* * *

**Derek**

Even the hardest-sleeping Alpha, Aiden was awake. Isaac did his best to keep Boyd and Erica back. Derek's wildly slashing claws could do more danger to them than it would another one of the Alphas. "Help him!" he begged Peter. "Please…"

"He's dreaming," Peter replied. "There's nothing we can do. He needs to wake up on his own."

"You're fucking useless!" Isaac growled as he watched his Alpha thrash, unable to help him.

_The accusations flying made little sense… only the one that Stiles was more than just a patrol mate to this man. He could smell some of this man's scent mixed with Stiles'. He knew what that meant. They'd had sex. But he'd been so connected to Stiles that he would have known if the sex was consensual and loving. He knew it wasn't. He forgave Stiles as Gerard tossed the sword at his Mate's feet._

"_Do it," the old man ordered._

_Stiles slowly reached down and picked up the sword. He didn't expect it to as heavy as it was._

_Slowly, Stiles approached the Alpha. "Stiles… don't do this," Derek pleaded. "Stiles, it's me. I came to save you… just cut me down and we can escape…"_

_Stiles' eyes glanced upward at the chain that bound Derek's arm. "I can't do this," Stiles said, his voice shaky._

"_Yes you can!" Kate urged. "Remember what we taught you… What are werewolves?"_

"_But he's my Mate," Stiles' voice wavered again._

"_What. Are. Werewolves?"_

"_They're the enemy," Stiles managed. _

"_Exactly."_

_Derek searched Stiles. It was obvious that Stiles was struggling with this, but his programming was working. "It's okay. I forgive you, Stiles," Derek said softly as Stiles' unsteady hands raised the sword._

"_Werewolves… are… the enemy…" The way Stiles said it, it seemed like more of a question than a statement, but he still reared back and swung it powerfully at Derek's body._

"NO! Stiles, don't!" Derek sat up, gasping for air and clutching his chest. He was drenched in sweat and his clothes stuck uncomfortably to his body. It took him a moment to regain his bearings enough to realize where he was and who was around him.

Immediately Erica tried to comfort him. "Derek, it's alright. It's just us."

Derek grasped at her arm. "Stiles… he…"

Peter moved closer, looking at Derek in a way that made Isaac feel uncomfortable. It looked as though Derek were a meal. "What happened? What did you see?" Peter demanded.

"He killed me. He said the words 'Werewolves are the enemy' and he killed me," Derek panted. "I think we've lost him…"

* * *

**Stiles**

The final scream of pain was what brought Stiles back to reality. The bed was drenched in his sweat. Chris wrapped his arms tightly around him "Shh, calm down," he said. "It's alright. I've got you." Stiles couldn't stop shaking, he merely clutched onto Chris. The feeling of Chris' body against his was the only thing that helped him to be sure that the entire scenario was just a dream and that Derek hadn't been executed. It took a while for Stiles' tremors to finally cease.

"What happened?" Stiles asked, feeling somewhat disoriented.

"You cold-clocked me in your sleep," Chris explained, pointing to a bruise developing on his cheek. "Then you were saying something about the code… most of what you said I couldn't make out. Then you said 'I deserve this' and after that, the only thing I caught other than a bunch of 'No' was 'Let me die.' What were you dreaming about?"

It hurt Stiles to even think about what he'd seen in that dream. In order to preserve the relationship he'd fostered in Chris as well as his own sanity, he lied. "I was fighting more Alphas."

"I'm sorry I pushed you that hard, then," Chris said. "If I had known it was going to give you nightmares, I would never have made you do it."

"It's helping me to become a stronger Hunter," Stiles replied softly. "I need to shower." Stiles crawled out of Chris' arms and began his trek to the shower before pausing. He didn't want to be alone. "Will you join me?"

"Of course," Chris replied, bounding off the bed. He beat Stiles to the shower and got it to Stiles' favorite temperature.

Stiles climbed into it and for the second time that night, stood beneath the spray. "Thank you for being there for me, Chris," Stiles muttered.

"Of course Stiles," Chris said.

Closing his eyes, Stiles imagined that Derek was the one in the shower with him. He pushed himself against the muscular body before leaning up and kissing him passionately. Chris kissed him back, wrapping his arms tightly around the smaller, lithe body. When the kiss finally broke, Stiles' eyes were still closed, and in his head, it was Derek's arms around him. "I love you."

"You do?" Chris asked, somewhat astonished.

"I do," Stiles repeated, still convincing himself it was Derek. "I really do."

* * *

**Author's Note: **So what exactly happened? How is Derek going to be able to keep faith in his mission to rescue Stiles, or their link? What are the repercussions of Stiles using the L word with Derek... I mean Chris? All shall be revealed! Please let me know what you thought! I'm thinking there might be some sexy time in the next chapter…


	8. The Makings of a Sweet Dream

Just a warning… this chapter has a lot of sex… but also a lot of plot.

* * *

"_Where are you taking me?" Stiles giggled boyishly as he held tightly to Derek's torso. Derek ran swiftly through the woods._

"_Just be patient and you'll see!" Derek grumbled._

"_Well I don't know where we are and some random werewolf is whisking me off… likely to his lair!" Stiles teased. "I deserve to know!"_

"_Random werewolf?" Derek's voice seemed grumpier than usual. "We've been together for three months, but I'm just some random werewolf!"_

_Stiles nuzzled his face into Derek's neck, kissing the rough skin. "Relax, I was just kidding."_

"_You better be," replied Derek. "Especially after all the effort I put into this."_

_After another ten minutes of silence with Stiles still clinging to his back, he had to ask, "How much longer?"_

"_We're here," Derek announced. He set Stiles down and dug in his pocket for a match. Stiles couldn't see much, but he could tell they were in a cave. In a move that reminded Stiles of Indiana Jones, he lit a torch that was hanging on a wall and led Stiles further into the cave._

"_Derek this is creepy," Stiles complained, trying to stay as close to his boyfriend as he could._

"_I'll keep you safe," Derek replied. "Just trust me."_

_He led them further into the cave until they reached a large cavern. He lit more torches that adorned the walls before lighting a ring of candles. Stiles gasped in awe as he saw it. "It's beautiful."_

_Derek smiled. "I thought this would be the perfect place for our first time…especially since it's your first time, too."_

_Stiles felt instantly grateful that his heart had already been racing because Derek would have known something was up. This was certainly his first time with Derek, but this was not his first time… and it was especially not his first time with an Alpha werewolf. He was so ashamed by the truth… that he'd sought out the most dangerous Alphas in the world when Scott refused to turn him. What he allowed them to do haunted him. He shook the memory out of his head, trying to focus on Derek, who was removing his clothes and inviting Stiles to do the same._

* * *

**Derek**

"Derek, you can't put too much stock in a dream," Isaac said. "Dreams are just our subconscious trying to work through things we've been through."

Derek shook his head. "This felt different. I could feel his sword cut through me. When I looked at him, I didn't even recognize him as my Mate."

"We're almost to the Panopticon," Erica told him. "We can undo the damage they've inflicted and hopefully, we'll be able to save him."

"I've never understood the purpose of keeping a human around, to be quite honest," Deucalion said, approaching the pack huddled together around their distraught Alpha. "They're so fragile… so weak. As a species, they're quite useless."

"My _fragile, weak, useless_ Mate has done more to protect our kind than you ever have," Derek snapped.

"Then why isn't he one of _our_ kind?" Peter asked moving to a place behind Deucalion. "Why would you keep him weak and helpless?"

"If you've ever seen him with his weapons, you'd know why. He's a fighter. He can be more vicious and less forgiving of Hunters and Guardsmen than we are," Derek said. "I just don't know why he fell for their tricks so quickly."

"From what you've seen and felt, he's been raped repeatedly and attacked by powerful werewolves and tortured unmercifully. You'd be surprised how quickly someone will break under those conditions," Boyd said.

* * *

**Stiles & Chris**

It took a few minutes for Stiles to remember whose bed he was really in. He could feel Chris' semen still inside him, though he managed to almost completely convince himself that it was Derek who made him scream in ecstasy the night before. It was Derek who he curled up against… whose scent filled his nostrils... whose legs intertwined with his own… whose morning hard-on pressed urgently against his stomach. Yet as he opened his eyes, it was not Derek. It was Chris. And though he was speaking to Derek, it was Chris who heard his declaration of love, and returned it in-kind.

He felt Chris kiss his forehead and squeeze him tightly. "Good morning," he whispered.

"Hey," Stiles replied, moving to get off the bed.

"Not so fast," Chris said. "I was thinking today we could just stay in bed… get our exercise a more entertaining way."

As much as he didn't want to spend the day being filled by Chris's cock and cum, he felt so much pain, that the likelihood of feeling any bit of pleasure, however fleeting it might be, was enough for him to consent. He nodded toward Chris and laid back down. Chris climbed on top of him, taking him in his mouth. This was the first time Chris had ever done this to him and it had been a very long time since Derek had even done this to him. It felt good to feel Chris' hot, wet tongue moving along his length and bringing him such exquisite bliss.

He had a hard time viewing Chris as an enemy. Chris was so unlike the other Hunters he'd met. He seemed to be kind, caring, and compassionate. In bed, he placed so much focus on Stiles' pleasure that it made the younger man consider the idea of truly loving him and even question whether or not he actually did. If he could so easily imagine it was Derek making love to him, Stiles reasoned, could Chris be one of his great loves, even if the relationship had an expiration date. He had been the only good thing that had happened to him since waking up in his cell for the first time.

He could do worse than Chris Argent, after all. The man may have been older, but he was rugged, sexy, sincere, and tender.

As Chris finally let Stiles' member fall from his lips, his young lover's nails clawed at the sheets, knowing the next activity on the docket was about to happen. Chris moved Stiles' legs and pushed into him. Stiles was still loosened up and lubricated from the previous night's activities, which allowed for Chris to quickly reach a pace that was mutually beneficial. Each thrust passed along Stiles' prostate in a way that drove him wild.

The mounting pleasure as Stiles approached orgasm was enough to draw his mind away from the pain of Derek's absence. He tossed his head in ecstasy as the steady build slowly increased. Opening his eyes, he saw Derek, leaning down and kissing him. When the kiss broke and he opened his eyes again, it was Chris who was shoving himself entirely into Stiles, adding a fourth load to Stiles' gut in the past 24 hours. Chris' hand reached down, bringing Stiles to climax. He scooped up the white blobs that littered the young man's abdomen, feeding it to him in an act that Stiles was surprised to find incredibly sexy.

He pulled out of Stiles and flipped him onto his stomach before pushing back in, thrusting a few times. "Already?" Stiles asked.

"I wish," Chris replied. "Unfortunately, I need a few minutes or I'd be well on my way to the second orgasm… I just really love the way it feels to be inside you."

"So did Aaron," Stiles replied.

"Aaron was a worthless beast who used you for his own ends and I can't wait to see you get your revenge on him," Chris said. "I enjoy being inside you because I love you and I want to make you feel good." He reached over, grabbing the bottle of lube and squirting a small amount on Stiles' back.

"That's cold," Stiles whined.

"I know," Chris replied. "But it won't be for long." His hands began kneading Stiles' muscular back. He could feel the areas where the boy was physically storing the stress and hurt he'd experienced. "Damn you're tight…"

"Hard to imagine considering how many times we've fucked," Stiles mused, melting beneath Chris' expert touch.

Chris laughed, moving his hips a bit, making them both moan slightly. "Yeah, you're tight there… but I meant your back. You're really tense."

"If you'd experienced some of the fucked up shit I have, you'd be tense, too," Stiles replied.

As Chris massaged Stiles' upper back, he again felt sad for the boy beneath him. "I'd understand more than you might realize."

* * *

_Stiles shook with want and fear. Derek's muscles looked more massive in the glow of the flickering candle-light, making Stiles feel like a dwarf in comparison. The Alpha pulled him close, their bodies touching. He felt a spark as they touched. "What was that?"_

"_I don't know," Derek replied. "But I like it." Derek had a suspicion of what that spark might mean and he hoped and feared that he was right._

"_Have you done this before?" Stiles asked with an unsteady voice._

"_Yes," Derek replied._

"_Are you going to knot me?"_

_Derek furrowed his brow. "How do you know about knotting?"_

_The more truthful answer was that he had taken the knot of every member of the Alpha Pack several times as payment for his request to be bitten. In the end, he could barely move and still they refused to bite him. He had been lucky to escape with his life. Deucalion took him over and over again and he could still remember the lead Alpha's harrowing words: "There's a price to losing your virginity to a Demon Wolf and his pack. You'll be drawn toward the darkness more and more until it finally claims your soul entirely. When it does, I'll find you. Don't try to hide, because no matter what you do, evil will always find you."_

_Derek noticed Stiles shiver. "Are you cold?" he asked._

_Stiles nodded. "A bit."_

"_We'll move closer to the fire," he said. Stiles noticed a blanket that was laid out for them. Once they were comfortable, Derek asked again. "So how do you know about knotting?"_

"_My best friend is a werewolf and we're teenagers…" Stiles replied, allowing Derek to take from that what he will._

"_I'm sorry I asked," Derek said. "So how would you like to do this?"_

_Stiles reached down, letting his fingers dance across Derek's skin, firmly grasping his boyfriend's hard dick. He remembered the agony he felt from each member of the Alpha Pack. He was afraid he'd feel the same pain from Derek. "Slowly," he replied. "Slowly and gently. I'm scared it might hurt."_

_Derek kissed Stiles deeply before climbing on top of him. "That's the beauty of losing your virginity to a werewolf. I can make sure the only parts you feel are the good parts."_

"_Do you promise?" Stiles asked shakily._

"_Of course, Stiles. I want this to be perfect," Derek replied. He grabbed the bottle of lube and squirted some onto his hands. One hand caressed Stiles' length and the other began slowly working its way into Stiles. Any and all discomfort disappeared into Derek's veins in a rush of black._

* * *

**Derek**

They weren't far from the Panopticon now. Peter guessed it'd be a day or so more. Derek was trying to distract himself by anything and everything. He could feel Stiles being used again.

"You've become a real Derek Downer since you were little," Peter said as they walked. "What happened to the fun and hopeful kid I knew?"

"My Mate is once again being fucked and he's lost hope… what do I have to be happy for?" Derek asked.

"What if I told you that you might be able to communicate with him?" Peter said softly.

"How?" Derek demanded. "I have to… I need to tell him not to give up… that I'm almost there…"

Peter laughed. "When have you ever known me to give anyone anything for free?"

"What's your price?" Derek asked.

"What have I always wanted, Derek?" Peter replied. "I want power. I've played second fiddle to Deucalion for too long. When we bring down the Hunters Guild, I want you to help me bring him down too."

"You're going to betray the Demon Wolf?"

"He's been a great companion… the sex is great… but I'm nobody's Beta. I'm a Hale and I'm a fucking Alpha," Peter replied.

Betraying the person who was helping him get Stiles back didn't sit well with him, but the chance to talk to Stiles was too tempting. "If it doesn't work, the deal is off."

Peter shrugged. "I can handle that. Tonight when you're going off to sleep, focus on him. While you're dreaming of him, you have to realize that you're dreaming and wake up in your dream. Your connection to him will let you communicate with him… but only if he, too, is also lucid in his dreamstate."

"What if he isn't?"

"Then for him, it'll just be a dream where he had a conversation with you."

Derek looked away, considering this option. "Maybe that's all I need to keep him from giving up hope."

* * *

**Chris & Stiles**

It had taken hours upon hours, but Chris had finally provided Stiles enough physical pleasure to help numb the emotional pain. Chris didn't seem to tire. He only took short breaks in between. Stiles had been on his stomach, his back, hands and knees, against a wall, upside-down. Each time, Stiles got closer and closer to forgetting that his life simply hurt.

Stiles didn't know how much more of Chris' seed his body could take, but it seemed to feel as though their bodies fit together more and more naturally. Chris was able to easily slide into his lover, like a key into a lock. Sweat poured off of his body onto the younger man's. The kisses they shared were deep and powerfully intimate. As he came inside Stiles for the seventh time, he collapsed, exhausted next to him. "I didn't realize this relaxing day was going to be so tiring."

"Your old man libido can't keep up with a young stud like me?" Stiles joked.

"I haven't had marathon sex since my honeymoon," Chris replied. "I forgot how awesome it could be."

"If you want, I could climb on top of you and do some of the work myself," Stiles said.

Chris shook his head. "I need a break."

"Well, for what it's worth… I liked it," Stiles replied, curling up next to Chris.

"I'm glad. I put a lot of effort into it," Chris said. "Are you hungry?"

Stiles narrowed his eyes. "Is that some sort of coded message meaning you want me to suck your dick?"

Chris laughed. "No… I mean I know I've definitely worked up an appetite."

Stiles smiled. "Yeah, I'm hungry."

Stiles watched as Chris got out of bed and ordered food to be delivered to his room. He could feel Chris' semen draining out of him. Without strong arms around him or a cock inside him, the agony of his existence began to seep back into his chest, followed by the guilt of how many times he betrayed Derek yet again. And the most horrifying realization was that he hadn't envisioned Derek the entire day. It had been Chris. He struggled to fight back the tears as Chris rejoined him, announcing that dinner would be there shortly.

* * *

"_Your heart is racing still," Derek said as he moved between Stiles' legs, propping them up on his shoulders._

"_I'm just a little scared," Stiles admitted._

"_Don't be," Derek replied. "I won't hurt you. I promise."_

_He stared up into Derek's eyes as he felt the Alpha push into him. He bit his lip, anticipating pain, but instead, he felt numb until Derek reached his prostate and the pleasure was able to fill his body in an excited jolt. Again, he could feel that rush of electricity and the dancing glow of Derek's eyes made him think that perhaps Derek did too. "This feels good," Stiles grunted as Derek pushed further into him._

_The Alpha could feel every tendril of his attention focused on Stiles and ensuring that Stiles' first time was everything it should be. He had been dumb enough to allow his first time to be due to being seduced by a member of the Hunting Royal Family… Kate Argent. That mistake cost him his family._

_He didn't want to think about such things in this moment. He just wanted to make Stiles feel good._

"_I know you're taking all the pain away," Stiles said. "But I want to feel it. I want to feel all of this."_

_Derek seemed confused at first. "You do?"_

_Nodding, Stiles explained. "It's part of the experience. I want to have the entire experience."_

_He had finally worked his way entirely into Stiles and slowly lessened the amount of pain he was taking, until his veins no longer ran black. His boyfriend tensed slightly. "Are you alright?"_

"_Yes!" Stiles grunted. "Now stop worrying about me and make me yours…"_

_Derek slowly began to thrust in and out as Stiles' fingers clawed at the ground beneath him. The Alpha took his cues from Stiles' body, monitoring his heart, his scent, and even small, nearly imperceptible muscle movements, and modified his pace accordingly. It became easier and easier for him move as Stiles relaxed and opened up. "Let me know if you need me to slow down."_

_Stiles chuckled._

"_What?" Derek asked._

"_It's just that you always put up this big bad sourwolf front… but right now, you're like a different person," Stiles noted. "And I don't think I've ever seen you smile before. And your eyes… they're dancing… It's beautiful."_

"_I care about you, Stiles," Derek replied. His eyes scanned is boyfriend for clues that he might be too rough in his movements. "I think I might even… love you."_

_A goofy grin parted Stiles' rosy pink lips._

"_What?"_

"_You love me?"_

_Derek nodded slowly, leaning back down to kiss Stiles again. "I do." He began thrusting in earnest, causing Stiles to shake with pleasure until he felt it building. "Uh Stiles… I think I'm going to knot and… I can't control it."_

"_It's alright," Stiles replied. "I want it."_

"_But it's going to hurt…"_

"_I want it to."_

_Derek felt the pressure build higher and higher as his base wolf instincts told him to force the knot in. He could tell it was hurting Stiles and he wanted to stop, but he couldn't. Stiles kept whispering "I'm fine," even when it was clear to Derek that he wasn't. Still, Derek's body followed instinct despite his attempts to try and stop it for Stiles' sake. Finally, he managed to force his knot into Stiles, whose resulting yelp echoed throughout the cabin. Despite his body being wracked by orgasm, he felt incredibly guilty._

_He noticed Stiles attempting to disguise the pain he was in but right as he started to absorb Stiles' pain, he felt a warmth building in his core, spreading to his lower extremities. Stiles, too felt it. "What's happening?" he asked with a shaky voice. Derek felt his wolf clawing at his consciousness. He shifted and his claws dug into the ground, tearing through the blanket beneath them. His heartbeat changed. It matched perfectly with Stiles'. The instinct to protect Stiles at all costs assaulted his ability to even think. "Derek? Are you alright? What's going on?"_

"_Do you feel this?" Derek managed to grunt._

"_My body feels warm," Stiles replied. "What does it mean?"_

"_I think we're Mates."_

"_Mates?" Stiles asked. "What does that mean?"_

_Derek paused. Stiles could tell that he didn't know how to describe it. "It's like the Human concept of soul mates… but it's deeper than that… It'd be easier to explain if you were a werewolf. But essentially… you're the only person in the world for me," he said. "Can't you feel it?"_

_Stiles shrugged. "I care a lot about you, Derek. That hasn't changed."_

_Derek's face fell a little and he slowly lowered himself onto Stiles'. "Maybe it's a werewolf thing."_

_Stiles realized that he might have hurt Derek's feelings. "I'm sorry. I just… I don't think I could love you anymore than I already do. And our first time has been perfect."_

_Derek perked up and smiled at Stiles. He couldn't even form words. For the first time since he lost his family six years ago, Derek had someone he loved and who loved him._

* * *

**Derek**

Throughout their day's journey, Derek thought about what Peter told him and what he wanted to tell Stiles. He didn't care if Stiles wasn't lucid in his dream just so long as got to hear a message of hope and love to drown out the rape and torture.

He only confided in Isaac what he intended to do, having known him longer, he knew he could trust Isaac to watch over him while he tried to accomplish his task. During his time asleep, Peter explained that he would be at his most vulnerable and his link to his Mate could be fragmented entirely if he were to awaken in the middle of the task.

As he closed his eyes to sleep, he pictured Stiles clearly in his mind's eye and focused on their Mate link.

The large white room was blindingly bright. Derek turned in circles, trying to figure out where to go because he could see he was alone. "Stiles!" he called out. "Stiles where are you?"

He searched the room for any way to continue on and get to Stiles, but found none. Just as he began to entertain the idea of Peter having tricked him and his need to return to his own body, a door appeared in the center of the room. He felt a tug in his chest that told him that through that door was his Mate. He broke into a run, bursting through the door into a battle scene.

He watched his Mate fight for his life against a powerful Alpha, an old man, and a woman who made Derek's blood run cold. "Kate…" However, he wasn't fighting alone. There was another man helping him in his battle. Derek knew easily how to interpret the dream Stiles was having. All of these people were fighting for a controlling portion of Stiles' psyche. "Stiles!" he called again. Derek ran toward his Mate. As soon as Stiles saw him, he froze. The figures fighting Stiles faded.

"Derek?" he asked. A lump formed in the Alpha's throat. He simply nodded as Stiles ran to him. "Is this really you?"

"I'm using our Mate connection to talk to you. I don't know how much time we have so I have to talk quickly. I'm on my way to save you, Scott, and your father. It'll be no more than 48 hours. You don't have to worry about them hurting you anymore," Derek said.

"Wait… I thought you were already in the Panopticon," Stiles said.

Derek shook his head. "No… I'm a day's journey away."

"Derek… I've seen you walking around in here. I've done what I needed to do to try and find where you were hiding… You took my pain while I was being tortured…" Stiles said, trying to make sense of everything.

A tear rolled down Derek's cheek. "That wasn't me, Stiles… but if I could have, I would. I just need you to hold on… I'm almost there."

"I don't understand… I felt you touch me..." Stiles said.

Derek brought Stiles into his arms. "They might have been trying to trick you. But you have to trust that I'm real. Can you do that?"

"I… I think so…" Stiles replied weakly.

"I love you, Stiles," Derek said. "And I'm going to kill every single one of the people who hurt you. I promise." Derek could feel his link weakening. One of them was waking up. "I have to go now, Stiles… but I'll see you again soon."

"Don't leave me, Derek… please…" Stiles begged in a way that felt like daggers in his chest. He felt like he was failing Stiles yet again.

"I have to… or something bad could happen. I just need for you to hold on to hope. I'll be there soon. I promise you," Derek said before he found himself back in the white room. The door slammed in his face. He tried to open the door again but it was locked. He let out a howl of frustration before waking up to Isaac standing over him.

"Did it work?" Isaac asked.

"I hope so," Derek replied.

* * *

**Stiles & Chris**

"Stiles!" Chris called as he shook his young lover awake. "Stiles it's just a nightmare… come on. I'm here…"

Stiles awoke screaming, "Derek! Don't leave me!"

Chris furrowed his brow. "Who's Derek?"

Realizing the mistake he made, Stiles didn't have to try hard to act confused. "I'm sorry… it was just a nightmare about the night I was taken."

Chris kissed Stiles' temple and returned to his position next to him. "I'm here for you now, Stiles. You don't need to call out to him anymore."

Stiles smiled, nestling close to him before realizing that Derek would be able to smell Chris all over him and assume that Chris had also raped him. Chris' life was now in danger if that dream could be trusted. He sat back up. "Chris… I need to tell you something and if you don't listen to me… you'll die."

* * *

**Author's Note: **So… lots of sex and lots of angst… Let me know what you thought… and how you think Chris might react to hearing the truth!


	9. Chaos is Come Again

**Warning: **This chapter contains major character death.

* * *

**Chris & Stiles**

The Hunter's deep blue eyes stared straight ahead as tears threatened to fall. Stiles knew that he'd hurt Chris and he wanted nothing more than to be able take away his pain. "So were you also just manipulating me when you said you loved me?" Chris asked. "Because I was being honest with you. I've been honest with you from the very beginning."

Stiles blinked away more tears. "At first, I thought I was saying it to Derek. What Kate and Aaron did to me had my brain so rattled that I wasn't even sure what was real and what wasn't. And I wasn't sure if you were part of Kate's plan. I was doing what I thought I needed to do in order to survive. Chris, please understand that."

To Stiles' surprise, Chris nodded. "You know… there was a time when Hunters were the last line of defense between ordinary humans and absolute monsters… Do you know why legends say werewolves can be killed by silver?" Stiles shook his head. "My family's name… Argent. It's French for 'silver.' Unfortunately we lost sight of what we were supposed to do and we began churning out some of the most ruthless monsters the world has ever seen. I mean look what we did to you… an innocent boy…"

"I'm not as innocent as you might think," Stiles asserted, not wanting Chris to completely underestimate him. "I executed several Guardsmen just because they were Guardsmen."

"Monsters are made, Stiles… not born. If the Hunters Guild hadn't become what they did, you would never have been put in the position to even need to kill," Chris said. "So I'll ask you again… Do you really love me?"

Sighing, Stiles sat back down. "I tried not to…" Stiles admitted. "It would have made my life easier if you were the enemy. But you had to be caring and sweet… you reminded me what it felt like to be human. And yes… I love you."

For the first time since the conversation started, Chris was able to look at Stiles again. "Then I will do whatever it takes to protect you and return you safely to Derek."

"Why don't you come with us?" Stiles begged.

Chris drew an uneasy breath. "I would love to protect you for the rest of your life and just be there for you… but you belong with Derek and I don't know how welcome an Argent would be in your pack. I'll just have to love you from a distance."

"Chris… please…"

"It's alright, Stiles… I told you before… I'm used to pain."

* * *

**Derek**

The giant building came into view. The sense of foreboding that emanated from the spire told Derek that they had found the Panopticon. Fear filled the air in a scent so thick that it made the werewolves nauseous. "So what is our plan of attack?" Ennis asked.

"We go with the one we had earlier. Erica and Boyd will find a way to sneak us in," Derek said. "Isaac and I will get Stiles, his father, and Scott."

"And what about us?" Ethan and Aiden asked in unison.

"Make a distraction," Deucalion said. "I can't imagine what's more distracting than a giant alpha comprised of two different individuals."

"Why do we have to do the grunt work?" Aiden demanded.

"Because I said so," Deucalion replied simply. Turning to Derek's betas, he asked, "Will it be easier to attack at night or in the day?"

"Boyd and I could go in right before sunset. They'll lock down and keep patrol to a minimum around the entrance," Erica suggested. "We'll take care of the few Guardsmen on patrol and then let you in."

Everyone nodded their assent to the plan. "We'll need our strength. Ethan, Aiden… find us something to eat. We need to rest," Peter ordered.

* * *

**Stiles & Chris**

"A few of my men have reported that your rescue party is on a nearby hill, ready to make their move tonight. There's a storage closet close to the exit. Around dusk, we'll hide in there. The moment we hear the commotion, I'll get you safely to Derek," Chris said.

Stiles changed into the clothes he had been abducted in. Chris secretly had them cleaned. They felt comfortable. "And then I'll never see you again," he said softly, staring at his dagger, which sat in his lap.

Chris began rummaging in his dresser, pulling out a box. He returned to the bed, sitting next to Stiles, the man he'd come to love so much in such a short time. "This is one of my most treasured possessions," he began, turning the box over in his hand. "When someone finishes their training and becomes a Hunter, not just a Guardsman, they forge a set of silver bullets as a rite of passage. In this box is the last one I have from when I made mine. Keep it with you and promise you'll think about me every once in a while."

Reluctantly, Stiles took the box. He then grabbed one of his guns from the holster. It was the gun that Gerard let him keep. He took the only bullet that remained in it out. He held it in his hand. "I have nothing special I can really give you except this. This is the bullet I was going to put through your father's head when I escaped. It's the one thing that allowed me to keep hope before I met you. If you can promise me you'll try to love someone else… I'll try to forgive them for what they did to me."

Chris grabbed the bullet and put it in his shirt pocket. "I'll keep the token… but I don't think you should forgive them. It's unforgiveable. The Guild is still going to splinter into factions and Gerard and those who side with him are still going to suffer for what they've done. I only wish you will be there by my side when it happens and we burn this place to the ground." Stiles looked up to see lights dancing in Chris' eyes. He leaned forward and kissed the Hunter who wrapped his arms tightly around Stiles. When the kiss broke, Chris added, "I firmly believe everything happens for a reason, Stiles. Our paths crossed for a reason. And who knows… maybe they'll cross again."

"Derek and I had a phrase we'd use if we knew we'd be separated for more than a few hours," Stiles said. "I don't even think my dad knew about it. It was just ours… We would tell the other to count the stars until we were together again."

Chris smiled a sad, lonely smile. "Victoria and I had something similar… but Stiles what happens when you run out of stars to count?"

* * *

**Derek**

Huddled with his betas, Derek took his only opportunity to say what he needed to say. He wished he could have cleared the air with Stiles before he'd been taken. "Isaac is going to go find Scott and the Captain. I'll get Stiles and we'll get out. Boyd, Erica… I want you to get somewhere safe and stay there until I come get you," he said.

"We're risking our lives for Stiles and Scott," Erica replied. "We _want_ to do this. They're your Mates so they're part of our Pack."

Derek smiled at his beta. "I'm proud of you… all of you… which is why I want you two to find a safe place to hide until I can come get you. I've trained Isaac. I know he'll be able to survive… especially once he has Scott. You two just get us in and keep each other safe."

Boyd looked as though he were going to argue, then didn't, instead letting his face fall in a disappointed manner. He put his arm around Erica. "I'll keep her safe," he promised. They all stood up and Erica hugged Derek and Isaac before she and Boyd departed, ready to play their part in the battle ahead.

"What do we do now?" Isaac asked as they watched their friends and pack-mates walk away.

"We wait," Derek replied.

They didn't have long to wait. The moment the sun had finally settled behind the horizon, Deucalion announced. "It's time." The werewolves slowly made their way toward the imposing building.

* * *

**Stiles & Chris**

The storage closet Chris had them in was small and cramped. They were almost seen by a young, blonde Guardswoman as they packed themselves into it. Stiles' heart raced from the mixed emotions he was feeling. Soon, he was going to be reunited with Derek, Scott, and his father, but he hated the cost: he likely was never going to see Chris again. He secretly felt grateful that an eternity seemed to be passing, allowing him to rest his head against Chris' strong chest commit his scent to memory.

Chris' arms were wrapped tightly around Stiles until the first hints of a struggle could be heard. Panicked voices filled the air, followed by a roar that could only come from a very powerful Alpha. Stiles knew the timbre of Derek's roar and that wasn't him. Chris jostled them before whispering, "Stay here…"

"Chris… don't!" Stiles begged. "Please… just stay with me."

Pausing, Chris smiled. "I've seen you fight… you're right. I'm safer if you have my back."

"I need bullets," Stiles said. "I've only got a few…"

Chris rummaged around, finding several magazines and tossing them to Stiles. "These should work," he said. "But try to make each shot count…"

"I always do," Stiles replied, remembering how angry he felt for wasting bullets on non-lethal shots.

"It's Deucalion and the Alphas!" they heard someone shout.

"Shit…" both Stiles and Chris muttered at the same time.

"Why would Derek go to them?" Stiles asked.

"You were captured by the Hunters Guild, Stiles… who else would he go to?" Chris reasoned.

"But he hates them… everything about them!" Stiles said. "He wouldn't go to them unless he was…"

"Truly desperate to get back the person he couldn't live life without?" Chris finished.

Stiles smiled, knowing how Chris would understand Derek's logic. "Before we go out there… I love you, Chris."

"I love you too, Stiles," Chris replied, returning Stiles' smile before briefly kissing his forehead. "Let's go…"

Stiles pulled his guns from his holsters and made sure they were ready. Chris opened the door and they burst out into pure chaos. Stiles was sprayed with the blood of a Guardsman ripped apart by the Alpha Twins' combined form. The twins lumbered down the hall as Guardsmen fired bullets in a deafening roar.

Stiles wasn't sure who to aim at. He looked to Chris for advice, but as he saw Derek round the corner next to Deucalion, the Guardsmen retreated. "Derek!" Stiles cried, running toward him.

Derek was unable to talk, he simply wrapped his arms tightly around Stiles as the human cried into his chest.

"No warm reunion for me?" Deucalion asked.

Stiles pulled away. "Why would I ever want to see you again?"

"That night we shared was so special, Stiles… I was your first after all…"

Stiles tensed. Derek felt it. "Derek… I…"

"It's alright, Stiles. I have you back… I don't care," Derek replied.

Stiles kissed Derek, thankful that his Mate was as understanding as Derek was. Deucalion cleared his throat before slowly approaching Chris. Stiles pulled away again from Derek. "Speaking of people who have violated your Mate, Derek… what do we do about this one… certainly you can smell him all over Stiles…"

"Deucalion, leave him alone!" Stiles begged. Chris fired several shots into Deucalion, but he seemed unaffected, grabbing Chris' arms and yanking them back, effectively rendering him powerless.

Wagging his finger, Deucalion's lips parted in a sinister grin. "I would be incredibly remiss to allow this Hunter to live after what he's done…"

Stiles turned back to Derek. "Please… He's innocent. He's the only reason I survived…"

"Leave him alone, Deucalion," Derek said forcefully. "He's on our side."

"He's an Argent, Derek. He will never be on our side!" Deucalion roared. "I helped you get your Mate. Now it's your responsibility to uphold your end of the bargain! We are taking down the Hunters Guild… starting with the head family!" He extended his claws, stabbing them into Chris' abdomen, ripping a huge gash.

"NO!" Stiles screamed. Deucalion dropped Chris, who fell to his knees. Stiles ran to Chris' side, cradling him in his arms. He tried to apply pressure to the wound. "Chris… stay with me…"

"I want to," Chris said. Blood was beginning to fill his mouth and stain his teeth. Deucalion faded into the shadows, disappearing from the room.

Stiles began to cry. "Derek… please… help him…"

Derek slowly approached Stiles and Chris, taking Chris' hand into his. "The most I can do is take away the pain…"

"Stiles, I'm going to die," Chris said, very matter-of-factly. "I got you back to your Mate… I know you're going to be happy… and that makes me happy."

The tears dripped off of Stiles' face onto Chris' clothes. "I love you… I don't want to lose you…"

"I love you too," Chris replied. Stiles could hear that Chris' voice was getting weaker. He felt bad for confessing his love with Derek right there, but he knew that this was his last chance. Chris' chest rose and fell at an increasingly slow pace before it stopped altogether.

"No…" Stiles repeated over again. "No please… please come back… don't die on me… please Chris don't die…"

Derek reached up and respectfully closed Chris' eyes. "I'm sorry, Stiles…"

The young human's screams of anguish could be heard throughout the Panopticon. Chris' death was unnecessary and more painful than anything Gerard, Kate, or Aaron had attempted while had been prisoner. He carefully laid Chris' body down on the ground, wishing he had somewhere more comfortable his beloved Hunter could rest.

Derek watched his Mate, unsure how to help him. He didn't fully understand the connection they had, but could see that it had been profound. When Stiles finally stood back up, he wiped the tears from his face. "I need you to bite me."

The Alpha shook his head. "It's too risky. I've told you before."

"No!" Stiles yelled back. "I'm not asking this time, Derek. Give me the bite or I'll force one of the other hundreds of Alphas locked in this building to do it. Deucalion will pay for what he did… now give me the tools I need to ensure that when I bury someone I loved… I'm doing it knowing his murderer didn't go free."

Derek resented having his hands tied in such a manner, but he didn't see the point in arguing with Stiles, who was heavily grieving the fallen Hunter. Stiles held out his arm and Derek shifted, sinking his fangs deep into his Mate.

Feeding on the pain he felt at Chris' death, Stiles steeled himself against the agony of the bite, wishing only for the power to take his vengeance on Deucalion… and everyone else who'd hurt him in the Panopticon.

Stiles felt a rushing cold sensation, like an arctic river was running through him from the spot where Derek's claws had opened his skin.

The wound healed quickly. Derek watched his Mate transform. He could smell the change happening and realized that something was going wrong. Stiles didn't smell like a werewolf should smell. He focused his vision and realized nearly instantly, and to his horror what Stiles had become. Derek always suspected Stiles might turn into a werefox if bitten. In his desire for vengeance, however, Stiles had become the worst kind: capable of causing untold destruction, chaos, and strife. And Derek had just set it loose, while grieving, in a place where it could feed endlessly off the misery of its inhabitants.

"Stiles…" Derek stammered as Stiles began to walk down the hall in the direction Deucalion had disappeared.

Stiles turned around, his eyes as black as obsidian. "For now, you can call me Void."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Chris won't die in vain, I promise you this. I cried as I wrote it... Let me know your reactions...


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